Bill Roache, who of course plays the iconic Ken Barlow in Coronation Street, has hit out at internet fraudsters who have set up websites and social networking accounts using his name.

While speaking to the Daily Star, Bill revealed that he was horrified to learn that someone using his name on Twitter had been abusing TV personalities and footballers.

The imposter reportedly abused former Daybreak stars Christine Bleakley and Adrian Chiles over their looks, and likewise insulted footballers John Terry, Joey Barton, Robbie Fowler, Luis Suarez and Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish.

The paper adds, “There were also suggestions on the site that Bill was being targeted by bitter colleagues because he refused to have sex with them.”

However, it seems that what brought Bill’s attention to the imposter was a string of vile abuse towards his girlfriend, weather girl Emma Jesson.

Last night Bill told the paper, “I really do want people to know that the Bill Roache account on Twitter is run by an imposter and most definitely not me.

“I am not on Twitter and never have been. I would not know how to Tweet to save my life!

“I am not even on Facebook, despite there being three accounts in my name on there as well.

“It baffles me why someone would want to pretend to be someone they are not and to say some quite outrageous things about people I know.

“I hope this imposter is stopped as soon as possible.”

The fake Twitter account was set up in 2009 and has 6,523 followers, so it would seem the fraudster was pretty convincing!

Are you one of fake Bill’s followers?