American daytime soap, As The World Turns (ATWT) has been on the air since 1956, four and a half years longer than Coronation Street has. While it's always been said that our William Roache has set the record for the longest continuous portrayal of a character, this is, in fact, wrong. The man in this picture that is not Bill Roache is Don Hastings. He has been portraying Dr. Bob Hughes on ATWT for a mere two months longer than Bill Roache has been playing Ken Barlow.The two men have apparently spoken once, with Mr. Roache jokingly suggesting that Mr. Hastings retire. Well, that's going to happen. Yesterday, CBS announced that it was canceling As the World Turns. The last episode will air in September 2010. That means that by the time Coronation Street airs on it's 50th anniversary, December 9, 2010, (a little over two months later) William Roache will be entitled to the crown. He will have played Ken Barlow longer than anyone else has played a single character. Congratulations!