Ken Barlow persuaded Alma Sedgewick to go away with him on a gourmet weekend in September 1991, on the strict understanding that they would have separate rooms and he wasn't asking her to enter into a relationship with him, even though he was separated from wife Deirdre. Alma agreed, only for them to find out from the Receptionist at the hotel that they had the booking down as a double room in the name of "Mr and Mrs Barlow" and the hotel was full with no other rooms available. Ken played the part of a gentleman and slept on the sofa in the room while Alma had the bed.