Early years
Growing up in the beautiful Derbyshire countryside as the son of a doctor, Bill’s childhood could have been idyllic.
But at home in Ilkeston with dad Joseph and mum Hester, things weren’t quite so simple.
His mum, brought up by a violent drunk, was distant with her young son. Bill recalled: “I think she didn’t know how to be more openly loving.” His other grandad was a freemason interested in spiritualism, shaping some of Bill’s later beliefs. He attended a Steiner school set up by his grandfather, where children learnt for themselves rather than the curriculum.
But at the age of seven he was sent to boarding school in Wales, which he described as a big culture shock. It was there he discovered acting, joining the dramatic society.
He felt he had to follow his dad into medicine but, fearing he had missed the grades, he joined the
Army instead in 1953. He lost 50% of his hearing when a bomb went off near him on a training exercise.
After leaving the Army in 1956 he appeared in various stage shows and had a minor role in 1960 Norman
Wisdom film The Bulldog Breed.
He then landed the lead role in a TV play called Marking Time. It was seen by Corrie creator Tony Warren, who thought he was right for the role of Ken Barlow – and the rest is history.