IT was very well-publicised beforehand but surely many viewers of Piers Morgan’s Life Stories were still shocked to hear actor William Roache admitting to sleeping with up to 1,000 women.

Over the years, he was involved with many women, even having a brief fling with legendary Street actress Pat Phoenix. His encounters broke up his first marriage to another actress, Anna Cropper, and hurt his children which he deeply regrets.

The shock comes because the actor — who has played Street character Ken Barlow for more than 50 years — just doesn’t seem the Lothario type. On and off the small screen, he appears quiet, bookish and even fought a libel case when a newspaper labelled him “boring.”

He’s actually 80 next week but looks nothing like that, has terrific hair, is very dapper and always dresses well. Having interviewed him several times I can tell you that he’s got great personal charm and really does seem to understand women.

Really, I suppose, he’s been the epitome of that great truism that it’s the quiet ones you have to watch.