IT'S nobbut what posh Annie Walker would have thought quite right for a 40th "do"-- but next month Prince Charles visits Coronation Street to join in its 40th anniversary celebrations.

HRH will visit Jack, Vera, Emily and the rest of the characters who have delighted millions around the world since The Street first burst onto our TV sets in glorious black and white.

At a glitzy Manchester launch marking 40 days to the anniversary, the stars mingled with journalists from all over the country, and from all over the world.

They gathered to hear the programme's executive producer Jane McNaught make her princely announcement, and for a couple more surprises up her sleeve.

Not only will there be extra episodes during the celebrations, but there are some fascinating storylines in the offing -- including a wedding before Christmas, and another in the New Year.

Bolton favourite Stephen Beckett -- the ex-actor from The Bill who won plenty of local fans with his recent Octagon performance in the controversial play The Blue Room -- will be the first doctor to move into The Street.

He'll be living with his wife, Charlie. Streetcars' telephonist Eileen Grimshaw also moves onto The Street with her family, and Ken Barlow's long-lost son Peter is back -- trying to readjust to life in Weatherfield after years in the Navy.

Ken, alias The Street's longest serving actor Bill Roache, explained to the BEN how much he enjoyed his role "which has never been dull."

He admitted that "the most enjoyable times from an acting point of view" were when his screen wife died, and his fights and spats with Mike Baldwin.

But wasn't that all in the past now that they're friends?

"Friends?" queried Bill. "There's too much water under the bridge for that. A few drinks together and a shared trauma don't make them friends, I'm afraid. There's a lot more to come here."

Bill Roache is also one of the few Street actors who remembers making "live" episodes all those years ago. Now, as part of the celebrations, there will be a 60-minute "live" episode once more.

"But I'm really looking forward to getting that one out of the way!" he added. "Everyone in the cast keeps saying 'well, you're all right -- you've done it before'. But really I'm terrified!"

He would not, however, have had the past 40 years in The Street any differently. "It's been the best," he stated, "and of course I'd like to be here for the 50th and the 60th anniversaries."

Meanwhile, the stars and the journalists tucked into Street fare of fish and chips. And Norris and Blanche left the reception arm in arm, with a quick smile and a "tarra, love" as the ghosts of Elsie Tanner and Ena Sharples nodded approval at the celebrations.