William Roache believes that meditation is the secret to a long life.
The ‘Coronation Street’ star revealed that he regularly takes a "tea break from life" during which he practices mindfulness to help him stay young
In an interview on ‘This Morning’, Roache, 87, said: "I call it a tea break from life and what you need is a place in your home where you can leave all your worries behind for five minutes."
Bill – who plays Ken Barlow in ‘Corrie’ – added that it is important to control your thoughts during the process.
He said: "You can’t stop your thoughts, so let them go through. You need to control what you’re thinking about."
Bill also believes that ageing depends on an individual’s mindset and places importance on cell renewal.
He explained: "Ageing is a belief process, if you think you’re going to get slower as you get older, then you will slow down.
"Your cells renew themselves all the time, so if you slow down, the cell renewal process slows down."
Bill also revealed that he keeps active by taking part in boxing and basketball, but can’t do "dead exercise" in a gym as he needs interaction with other people.
He said: "I can’t do dead exercise in a gym but I do a bit of boxing and a bit of basketball."
Bill has played Ken on the ITV soap for 59 years and is the only original cast member left on the show since it began in 1960.
The soap legend – who appeared on the famous cobbles in the very first episode – admits that he is "really lucky" to be in ‘Corrie’ and still loves every day he gets to work on the programme.
He said: "I’m really lucky to be in ‘Coronation Street, I love it. I enjoy going to work and 60 years have gone like that."
Bill has been a part of the recent "moving" major storyline which saw Sinead Tinker lose her life to cervical cancer and he was very impressed by the performances of his co-stars Katie McGlynn and Rob Mallard, who plays Ken’s son and Sinead’s widowed husband Daniel Osbourne.
He said: "The Sinead story was very moving and we were all affected. Rob and Kate were very good."
William Roache believes meditation is the key to staying young
