British Soap Lifers, Hero, & Special Achievement Recipients
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William Patrick "Bill" Roache MBE is an English actor. He has played Ken Barlow in the soap opera Coronation Street since its first episode on 9 December 1960. He is listed in the Guinness World Records as the longest-serving living television actor in a continuous role. First acting job with Unicorn Players at Princes Theatre Clacton in 1959 with John Kendall and Helen Blackwood among others. Summer season repertory.
Roache was born in Basford, Nottinghamshire, the son of Hester Vera (née Waddicor) and Joseph William Vincent Roache. He grew up in nearby Ilkeston, Derbyshire, where he attended a Steiner school set up by his grandfather in the garden of the family home. His Freemason grandfather was interested in such things as hypnotism, theosophy, spiritualism, homoeopathy and esotericism, and the teachings of philosopher and educationalist Rudolf Steiner. Roache was later educated at Rydal School which was also attended by his son Linus.
Roache joined the British Army, and was commissioned into the Royal Welch Fusiliers in 1953. A year later, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant. He left the British Army in 1956 with the rank of captain. Due to an exploding mortar round during his military service, Roache suffers from tinnitus.
After leaving the army, Roache turned to acting. He appeared in various stage productions, then had uncredited roles in several films, and later small parts in television serials including Knight Errant Limited and Skyport. He played the minor role of a space centre operator in the Norman Wisdom film The Bulldog Breed.
Shortly before joining Coronation Street at the beginning of the programme in 1960, Roache played the leading role in a Granada Television play called Marking Time, transmitted on ITV in 1961.
Roache is now the world's longest-serving television actor in a continuous role (as of July 2017) after the cancellation of the American soap opera As the World Turns in 2010, where Don Hastings had played Bob Hughes since October 1960 without a break.
On 16 October 1985, just weeks before the 25th anniversary of his debut on Coronation Street, he appeared as the special guest on the TV show This Is Your Life. With the departure of Pat Phoenix the previous year, he was the show's last remaining original cast member by this stage.
In 1999, Roache was the recipient of the British Soap Awards Lifetime Achievement Award for his role as Ken Barlow. In 2003, Roache appeared on Celebrity Stars in Their Eyes as Perry Como singing the song "Catch a Falling Star". In September and October 2005, he appeared as a celebrity contestant in Ant & Dec's Gameshow Marathon. He was the winner of The Golden Shot remake, progressing through to Bullseye where he was beaten by television presenter Vernon Kay. He later entered All Star Family Fortunes, hosted by Kay, but lost by two points to his competitors.
Roache's 2008 autobiography is entitled Soul on the Street. It focuses on many of his life experiences and contains a significant amount of philosophical content in which Roache affirms his belief in the afterlife. In October 2008, Roache revealed on BBC Breakfast that he had a two-year feud with fellow Coronation Street actress Pat Phoenix, during which they did not speak to one another. This was over her changing of a scene involving the two of them. However, they did reconcile and became good friends. On 13 April 2012, Piers Morgan interviewed Roache for his ITV series Piers Morgan's Life Stories. On 26 September 2012, Roache was featured on the BBC series Who Do You Think You Are?, researching his family history.
Roache lives in Wilmslow, Cheshire. His eldest son, by his first wife Anna Cropper (1938-2007), is actor Linus Roache (born 1964). The couple also had a daughter, Vanya (born 1967). The couple were married from 1961 until their divorce in 1974. Roache married his second wife, Sarah Mottram, in 1978. She died suddenly on 7 February 2009 at their home at the age of 58. With Sarah, he had a daughter named Verity (born 1981) and a younger son, the actor James Roache, christened William (born 1985). A second daughter, Edwina, died aged 18 months after her birth on 26 April 1983 from acute bronchial pneumonia on 16 November 1984.
In 1991, Roache won a libel action against The Sun, which had described him as boring and unpopular with his fellow Coronation Street stars. He was awarded £50,000 damages by the jury, the same amount that he had turned down in an out of court settlement offered by the newspaper before the case. As a result, he was liable for the £120,000 costs incurred. Roache sued his law firm for negligence in 1998, and was declared bankrupt in April 1999.
Roache is a supporter of the Conservative Party. In 2007, as a guest for Daily Politics, he championed Sir John Major as Britain's greatest post-war prime minister. He backed disgraced ex-Conservative MP Neil Hamilton in the 1997 election against Martin Bell. Roache became patron of the Ilkeston-based production company Sustained Magic Ltd in 2006.
Roache is a vegetarian because he "doesn't want animals being killed for him". He wrote about his interest in astrology in his biography, which he learned by taking a correspondence course from the Faculty of Astrological Studies. He said he had impressed members of the Coronation Street cast by the accuracy with which he read their astrological charts for them. Roache is a spiritualist and was photographed practising druid rituals in the 1970s. He predicted that the world would go through a fundamental change on 12 December 2012 and "move to a higher vibration".
During an investigation and trial, Roache's character Ken Barlow was written out of Coronation Street. However following Roache's acquittal he resumed filming on Coronation Street in June 2014, and returned to the screen on 4 August of that year.
Roache was awarded an MBE in the 2001 New Years Honours. In March 2007, he was awarded the Honorary degree of Doctor of Letters by the University of Chester in recognition of his contribution to television.1999 Special Achievement Award- Writer
- Producer
- Director
Phil Redmond was born on 10 June 1949 in Liverpool, Merseyside, England, UK. He is a writer and producer, known for Brookside (1982), Hollyoaks (1995) and Grange Hill - The Movie.2001 Special Achievement Award- Writer
- Script and Continuity Department
- Additional Crew
Tony Holland was born on 18 January 1940 in Shoeburyness, Essex, England, UK. He was a writer, known for EastEnders (1985), The District Nurse (1984) and Eldorado (1992). He was married to Paul Wade. He died on 28 November 2007 in London, England, UK.2002 Special Achievement Award- Sue Nicholls was born on 23 November 1943 in Walsall, Staffordshire, England, UK. She is an actress, known for Coronation Street (1960), The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin (1976) and Up the Elephant and Round the Castle (1983). She was previously married to Mark Eden.2003 Hero of the Year & 2019 outstanding achievement award
- Actor
- Director
Dean Sullivan was born on 7 June 1955 in Liverpool, England, UK. He was an actor and director, known for Brookside (1982), Reuben Don't Take Your Love to Town (2004) and Wings. He died on 29 November 2023 in Birkenhead, Merseyside, England, UK.2003 Lifetime Achievement Award- Actress
- Soundtrack
Barbara was born in Oldham, Lancashire and left school at 15 to work as a post office telegraphist them in offices, factories and shops, After some amateur acting she joined Oldham Repertory and spent many years with them and touring companies plus work on radio and television. After quite a bit of television work she joined Coronation Street in 1972 playing Rita Fairclough2004 Lifetime Achievement Award- Producer
- Writer
- Production Manager
Mal Young was born on January 26, 1957 in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. He is a high profile and prolific TV producer and writer, known for many shows including Brookside (1984), Doctors (2000), Holby City (1999), Casualty (1986), Waking the Dead (2000), Judge John Deed (2001) and Doctor Who (2004). From 1997 to 2004 he was BBC Controller of Drama Series. He has been married to Mari Wilson since August 2014 and lives in Los Angeles and London.2004 Special Achievement Award- Actress
- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
June Brown served in the Wrens and was classically trained at the Old Vic Drama School. She enjoyed a long career in the theatre, television and the cinema. The actor Nigel Hawthorne described her as "one of the most beautiful creatures I've seen on stage" after seeing her performance as Ibsen's "Hedda Gabler." Aside from her EastEnders (1985) fame as Dot Cotton, she appeared as "Lady Macbeth" opposite Albert Finney and directed "Double D" at the 1993 Edinburgh Festival.2005 Lifetime Achievement Award- Writer
- Script and Continuity Department
John Stevenson was born on 10 May 1937 in Manchester, England, UK. He was a writer, known for Coronation Street (1960), Brass (1983) and The Last of the Baskets (1971). He was married to Myra Davies, Sheila McGregor and Barbara Sutcliffe. He died on 5 September 2023 in the UK.2005 Special Achievement Award- Born in South London on Sept 5, 1935, to Ernest and Rose Briggs, Johnny had a younger sister, Barbara, who died in 1955 at age 15. As a boy, he sang soprano in a church choir and during World War II he was evacuated to the safety of the English countryside. Back in London he won a scholarship, at age 12, to the Italia Conti Stage Academy. Among his classmates were Nanette Newman and Anthony Newley. A scattering of parts followed in movies, stage plays and TV shows. In 1953 Johnny began two years of service in Germany with the Royal Tank Regiment. He then resumed his acting career.
In 1961 he married Caroline Sinclair and they had two children, Mark and Karen, before divorcing in 1975. In 1975 Johnny married schoolteacher Christine Allsop and they've had four children: Jennifer, Michael, Stephanie, and Anthony. British audiences know him best as 'Mike Baldwin', the part he played on the Coronation Street (1960) TV series for almost 30 years beginning in 1976. American audiences are more likely to remember him as the young sailor who was stripped to the waist and flogged in 1962's Damn the Defiant! (1962)! Though working less frequently these days, Johnny remains an avid golfer.2006 Lifetime Achievement Award - Actress
- Soundtrack
Wendy Richard, was born in Middlesborough to Henry and Beatrice Emmerton who moved to London when she was 5. and there they ran The Shepherds Tavern in Mayfair. Her father commited suicide due to depression when she was 11. She was educated at St Georges School in Mount Street, Mayfair, London and at a boarding school then while still in her teens became a shop assistant at Fortum and Masons but was fired on her second day for not selling anything. She then joined the Italia Conti stage school at 16 but refused elocution lessons as she didn't want to do voice exercises. Her first big break was when she did voice on the Mike Sarne record 'Come Outside' which went to number one in 1962 the charts but all she got out of it was £ 15. David Croft then cast her in the comedy series Hugh and I and nurtured her career resulting in appearances in such series as The Likely Lads, Newcomers, Up Pompeii, Dads Army and Eastenders. She had a part in the Beatles film Help but was cut out of it but survived in the comedy Bless This House. The day after her mothers funeral she married music publisher Leonard Black in May 1972 but it only lasted 5 months. Afraid of being on her own she then married advertising executive Will Thorpe but their relationship became turbulent and developed into violent abuse resulting in a divorce in 1984. Her 3rd marriage was to Paul Glorney, a carpet fitter, but they divorced in 1994. In February 1996 she met John Burns, a painter and decorator and they lived together before marrying in October 2008, In 1996 she had discovered a lump on her breast which turned out to be cancerous but she was given the all clear after an operation, There was a recurrence of it in 2002 and after further treatment she was again given a clean bill of health until in 2008 when a check up revealed that she had cancerous cells in her breast and that they had spread through her body. She made a half hour television Programme 'Wendy Richard: To Tell You the Truth' documenting the last few months of her life which was broadcast in March 20092007 Lifetime Achievement Award- Additional Crew
- Writer
- Producer
Tony Jordan was born on 21 July 1957 in Southport, Merseyside, England, UK. He is a writer and producer, known for Life on Mars (2006), Hustle (2004) and Holby Blue (2007).2007 Special Achievement Award- Sylvia Butterfield MBE, known professionally as Elizabeth Dawn or Liz Dawn, was an English actress, best known for her role as Vera Duckworth in the long-running British soap opera Coronation Street. First starting on the serial in 1974, she had more of a recurring role as a factory worker until her husband Jack (played by William Tarmey) first appeared in 1979, and later a more concrete role in 1983. For her role as Vera, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2008 British Soap Awards. She was made an MBE in the 2000 Queen's Birthday Honours.
Born in Leeds, West Yorkshire, Dawn started her show business career as a nightclub singer. By the late 1960s she had ventured into acting, often taking small parts in television programmes as well as advertisements. During the 1970s she appeared in a variety of programmes including All Creatures Great and Small and Colin Welland's play Leeds United, as well as an early appearance in Crown Court as a non-speaking background artist.
In January 1990, Dawn was featured on This is Your Life. She published her autobiography, Vera Duckworth - My Story, in 1993.
In 2000, Dawn was chosen as the Lady Mayoress of Leeds and was awarded an MBE in October of that year for her services to charity, having helped raise hundreds of thousands of pounds for hospitals in the Manchester and Leeds areas.
On 12 October 2010, Dawn appeared in a wheelchair at the naming ceremony of the new Cunard cruise ship, MS Queen Elizabeth in Southampton.
She appeared at the 2011 British Soap Awards giving the Lifetime Achievement Award to her former co-star Bill Tarmey.
On 12 June 2014, Dawn was the subject of one of five celebrity specials of The Jeremy Kyle Show. She appeared on the show, talking about her career and health.
On 11 November 2015, it was announced that Dawn was to briefly come out of retirement and make a guest appearance in Emmerdale over Christmas 2015, in the role of Mrs Winterbottom.2008 Lifetime Achievement Award - Producer
- Additional Crew
- Location Management
Timothy J. Fee was born in March 1949 in the UK. He is a producer, known for Emmerdale Farm (1972), The Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank (1988) and Sorrell and Son (1984).2008 Special Achievement Award- Actress
- Writer
- Producer
Legendary EastEnders actress and Carry On star Barbara Windsor was born Barbara Ann Deeks in Stepney, London, the daughter of Rose (Ellis), a dressmaker, and John Deeks, a costermonger. She was a bright pupil at school and her parents wanted her to go to university, but after her first taste of show business, when her grandmother took her backstage at a theatre, she decided acting was what she wanted to do.
Her mother spent all her savings on a place at the Aida Foster Acting School, where Barbara made her stage debut in Aida's 1950s pantomime at the Golders Green Hippodrome. Aida's tutors tried to iron out her Cockney accent but luckily they didn't succeed. In 1952, she was cast as one of the orphans in the musical "Love from Judy", which opened at London's Saville Theatre. With the show's star, she made her television debut in "Variety Parade". Two years later in 1954, she made her film debut as a school girl extra in "The Belles of St. Trinians", and by 1957, she was performing at London's Winston's Club with Amanda Barrie. The producer Joan Littlewood, who was committed to working class theatre, spotted her at an audition and in 1960 gave her the role which changed her life - Rose in "Fings Ain't What They Used to Be" at London's Garrick Theatre where it ran for two and a half years, during which she appeared in the sitcom The Rag Trade (1961).
As a result of the success of "Fings", Littlewood cast her in the film Sparrows Can't Sing (1963), which was seen by producer Peter Rogers who offered her roles in "Carry On" films, the first of which was Carry on Spying (1964). In 1964, She appeared in Joan's stage version of 'Oh! What a Lovely War' on Broadway and toured America with it. On her return, she was cast in the West End production of Lionel Bart's ill fated musical "Twang", which closed after a short run allowing her to take a role in "Come Spy with Me" with Danny La Rue at London's Whitehall Theatre. During the run, she had a complete change in playing one of the Ripper's victims in the film A Study in Terror (1965), then it was back to lighthearted roles in such films as Carry on Doctor (1967) and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968), and in 1968, a British tour with Frankie Howerd in "The Wind in the Sasafras Tree". In late 1969, Ned Sherrin cast her as the music hall legend Marie Lloyd in "Sing a Rude Song" which opened at the Greenwich Theatre before transferring to the West End's Garrick Theatre.
Windsor did become well known in the London theatrical scene, but it was the "Carry On" comedies that made her a star. Although she appeared in only nine films in the long-running series (she left because she thought they were getting too risqué), she made such an impression as the basically good-hearted but dizzy sexpot that many of the series' fans believe she was in many more than she actually was. She almost didn't get the role originally, as she and series regular Kenneth Williams took an instant dislike to each other, but that was soon overcome and they became lifelong friends.
After she left the series, she continued her stage and film work, and became a regular in a long-running British soap opera, EastEnders (1985) as the matriarch of The Queen Victoria - Peggy Mitchell, which she played in over 1,500 episodes. She wrote two autobiographies, "Barbara - the Laughter and Tears of a Cockney Sparrow" and "All of Me - My Extraordinary Life". She was awarded Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 2000 Queen's New Years Honours for her services to entertainment. She was awarded Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2016 Queen's New Years Honours for her services to entertainment and to charity.
Dame Barbara Windsor died of Alzheimer's disease on December 10, 2020, in London. She is survived by husband Scott Mitchell.2009 Lifetime Achievement Award- Writer
- Additional Crew
Peter Whalley was born on 12 March 1946 in Colne, Lancashire, England, UK. He was a writer, known for Coronation Street (1960), Coronation Street: After Hours (1999) and Angels (1975). He was married to Ruth Joseph and Janette Munn. He died on 26 July 2017 in Hest Bank, Lancashire, England, UK.2009 Special Achievement Award- Actress
- Soundtrack
Elizabeth Mary "Betty" Driver, MBE was a British actress and singer, best known for her role as Betty Williams (previously Betty Turpin) on the British soap opera, Coronation Street (1960) from 1969 to 2011, appearing in more than 2,800 episodes.
She had previously appeared as Mrs Edgley in Coronation Street spin-off Pardon the Expression (1965-1966) opposite Arthur Lowe. Her early career focussed on her as a singer, appearing in musical films such as Boots! Boots! in 1934, opposite George Formby and Penny Paradise in 1938, directed by Carol Reed. She was made an MBE in the 2000 New Year Honours.
At the age of 8, Driver began performing professionally, forced by her mother to appear with Terence Byron Repertory Theatre Company. She was singing for the BBC by the age of 10 and began touring across the UK in her first revue at the age of 12. While performing in London at the age of 14, Driver was spotted by the agent Bert Aza, who was in partnership with his brother Archie Pitt, Gracie Fields' husband. Despite her young age, he booked her for the lead in a revival of Mr Tower Of London, which had brought Gracie Fields to prominence 19 years earlier. She was also approached by George Formby after he and his wife Beryl Formby saw her perform in Manchester. The Formbys wanted Driver to appear in their new film Boots! Boots!, but according to Driver, when Beryl Formby saw her rehearsing, she decided that she did not want to be outperformed by Driver and sent her away; however, the producers felt so bad about the way Betty Driver was treated that they refused to take her name off the film credits, even though she did not appear in the theatrical release. In fact, it is now known that Driver did indeed perform in the film and her scene was included in the original release. In 1938, an edited version of the film was released which did not include Driver's scene. A restored version of the film (including Driver's scene) has recently been released on DVD which finally confirms the involvement of Driver in the film.
At 16 she was in a West End show called Home and Beauty. Film director Basil Dean, after seeing her in Jimmy Hunter's Brighton Follies, cast her in the 1938 film Penny Paradise, filmed at ATP studios in Ealing. After a few months of variety and radio work, she returned to the studio to make her second film, Let's Be Famous. They had just completed the film when the Second World War was announced and the studios were closed down. Nineteen at the time, Driver resumed touring the country in variety shows. It was at this time that her act and image altered. Against her mother's wishes, Driver and her sister modernised her performance and Driver became a ballad singer. Shortly after, during a six-month run in a revue called Twice In A Blue Moon, Driver and her sister parted company with their mother following a cardiac asthma attack which restricted her mobility.
Driver continued in variety, opening in the Coventry Hippodrome and sharing the bill with the Andrews family - father Ted, mother Barbara and Julie. She made regular trips to Bristol to sing on a radio show called Ack Ack Beer Beer and made her final film in 1941 Facing the Music.
In the 1940s, she became a noted big band singer. During the Second World War, Driver travelled through Europe with ENSA (Entertainments National Service Association), entertaining the troops. She also appeared for seven years on the radio show Henry Hall's Guest Night and on her own show, A Date with Betty, which was broadcast live from the People's Palace in London's East End on 14 July 1949. The show's format was based around Driver singing, doing sketches and introducing guests. All her words were scripted by a young Bob Monkhouse. She recorded many popular tunes in the 1940s and became an established singer during this time. When she was 14, she made her first record "Jubilee Baby", and had another major success with "The Sailor with the Navy Blue Eyes" and made several more hit records. Betty travelled to Australia where she performed her own show and her career took her to Cyprus, Malta and the Middle East. On her return to England she appeared in various Ealing Comedies, on stage in The Lovebirds, Pillar to Post and What A Racket, and on television with James Bolam in Love on the Dole.
In 1964, she auditioned for the role of Hilda Ogden on the television series Coronation Street (the role went to actress Jean Alexander as the casting directors wanted someone who did not weigh as much). She was cast later in the series Pardon the Expression, a spin-off of Coronation Street alongside Arthur Lowe. She has described Lowe as "such a difficult man to work with", so after a much-publicised injury (she damaged her back after the script called for throwing Arthur Lowe), she retired and started running a pub, the Cock Hotel in Whaley Bridge, Derbyshire, with her sister Freda.
In 1969, she was persuaded to come out of retirement to play police officer's wife Betty Turpin on Coronation Street, a role she would play for over 40 years. She was the longest serving barmaid in the history of the Rover's Return and Betty's Hot Pot (served at lunchtime in the Rovers) is an iconic dish, which has also been offered as a ready meal in UK supermarkets.
She was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1976 when she was surprised by Eamonn Andrews.
Driver wrote a memoir on her years in radio and television, called Betty, which was published in 2000. In an interview on the Parkinson show on 11 November 2006, Sir Ian McKellen revealed that Driver still drove herself into work at 07:30am each morning, despite her age. She was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by Queen Elizabeth II in the Millennium New Year's Honours List on 31 December 1999.
In August 2008, it was announced that Driver was one of several Coronation Street stars facing large salary cuts. In April 2010 Driver was reportedly admitted to hospital with a chest infection. In May 2010 Driver was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the British Soap Awards. There were also rumours that Driver was to retire, however these were confirmed as false. Driver vowed in September 2010 never to retire stating that: "If I retire, I'll be dead in six months with boredom" and stated she still "loved" being part of Coronation Street.
On 23 January 2011, Driver was the guest on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs.
On 11 May 2011, Driver was rushed to hospital, suffering from pneumonia. She died on 15 October, aged 91, after around six weeks in hospital.2010 Lifetime Achievement Award- Writer
- Producer
- Actor
Bill Lyons is known for Emmerdale Farm (1972), In Search of the Trojan War (1985) and Blake's 7 (1978).2010 Special Achievement Award- Bill Tarmey was an English actor, singer and author, best known for playing Jack Duckworth in the soap opera Coronation Street. First appearing in the role in November 1979, he played it continually from 1983 to 2010.
Tarmey was born in Ardwick, Manchester, Lancashire. Shortly after his birth, he moved with his family to live in Bradford, Manchester, where he was also educated. Following the death of his father William in 1944 whilst driving an ambulance at the Battle of Arnhem during the Second World War, his mother Lilian remarried, to Robert Cleworth. Tarmey attended the Bradford Memorial School and the Queens Street School (which became the Philips Park Secondary Modern School). On leaving school, he was apprenticed to his stepfather, who was an asphalt spreader by trade. He also worked in the construction industry for a number of years.
In 1968, Tarmey gave up his job in the building industry to work as a nightclub singer and entertainer. In order to supplement his income, he took on work as an extra on shows such as Coronation Street, amongst others. Despite suffering a serious heart attack in 1976 and a stroke in 1977, he was eventually offered the role of Jack Duckworth, a character who would go on to become an institution in British soap operas. He underwent quintuple bypass surgery in 1987, and had a pacemaker fitted after suffering a second heart attack in 2002, which was used as a storyline in Coronation Street (1960) to explain his absence. He also developed sleep apnoea, disrupting his breathing while asleep.
Tarmey was an extra in the Granada TV adaptation of King Lear (1983) which starred Laurence Olivier in the title role.
He was an accomplished singer and released several albums. Three of them (A Gift of Love (1993), Time for Love (1994) and After Hours (1996)) appeared in the UK Albums Chart.
He was the subject of This Is Your Life (1955) in 1992 when he was surprised by Michael Aspel on the set of Coronation Street (1960). He also appeared on Lily Savage's Blankety Blank.
In April 2006, when he turned 65, Tarmey announced he was thinking of retiring, which prompted letters of protest from fans. In 2009, he wanted to leave his role in the long-running television series, Coronation Street, due to his multiple health problems, which included severe breathing problems. The show's producers, however, persuaded him to stay until the 50th anniversary, in December of the following year. News of his departure was announced on 9 April 2010. Tarmey's departure was pushed forward to the 8 November 2010 episode because of his declining health; in this episode Jack died asleep in his chair in a manner similar to the death of Vera (although Jack had a storyline illness). This was revealed in What's On TV and several other television guides for that week. Tarmey was the second longest serving male actor in the show.
In a March 2011 interview with Nigel Pivaro Tarmey revealed he also had to leave the series because his son Carl had been diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2009.
Tarmey's autobiography, Jack Duckworth and Me: My Life on the Street and Other Adventures, was published in 2010.
In 1955, he met his future wife Ali in the local youth club. They wed in 1962, and had two children: Carl (born 1966) and Sara (born 1970). Tarmey suffered from poor health for many years, having a heart attack at the age of 35 and also a stroke when he was 36. He had heart bypass surgery twice, once in 1987 and again (following another heart attack) in 2002. He and his wife Ali lived in Ashton-under-Lyne. Despite his multiple health problems, Tarmey refused to quit smoking. In May 2011 Tarmey revealed that he needed to undergo further heart surgery.
A Coronation Street spokesman confirmed that Tarmey died in Tenerife from a heart attack on the morning of 9 November 2012 at the age of 71, exactly two years and one day after his character Jack Duckworth died.2011 Lifetime Achievement Award - Producer
- Additional Crew
- Writer
Gavin Blyth was born on 27 October 1969 in Southport, Lancashire, England, UK. He was a producer and writer, known for Emmerdale Farm (1972), Coronation Street (1960) and Coronation Street: Out of Africa (2008). He was married to Suzy. He died on 26 November 2010 in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, UK.2011 Special Achievement Award- Pam St. Clement was born on 11 May 1942 in Harrow-on-the-Hill, Middlesex, England, UK. She is an actress, known for EastEnders (1985), Hedda (1975) and Doctor Who: Dimensions in Time (1993). She was previously married to Andrew Gordon.2012 Lifetime Achievement Award
- Adam Woodyatt was born on 28 June 1968 in Walthamstow, London, England, UK. He is an actor, known for EastEnders (1985), Doctor Who: Dimensions in Time (1993) and EastEnders: E20 (2010). He was previously married to Beverley Sharp.2013 Lifetime Achievement Award
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Helen Worth was born on 7 January 1951 in Ossett, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England, UK. She is an actress, known for Coronation Street (1960), Doctor Who (1963) and London Wall. She has been married to Trevor Dawson since 6 April 2013. She was previously married to Michael Angelis.2014 Lifetime Achievement Award- Additional Crew
Carolyn Weinstein is known for EastEnders (1985) and The British Soap Awards 2014 (2014).2014 Special Achievement Award (offscreen)- Anne Kirkbride was born on 21 June 1954 in Oldham, Greater Manchester, England, UK. She was an actress, known for Coronation Street (1960), ITV Saturday Night Theatre (1969) and Coronation Street: Tram Crash (2010). She was married to David Beckett. She died on 19 January 2015 in Manchester, Greater Manchester, England, UK.2015 outstanding achievement award (oncreen)
- Writer
- Script and Continuity Department
- Producer
2015 Outstanding Achievement Award (offcreen).- Casting Director
- Casting Department
James Bain was born in July 1954. He was a casting director, known for The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes (1991), Ted and Alice (2002) and Cluedo (1990). He died in January 2016.2016 Tony Warren Award: The award was renamed in 2016 in honor of Tony Warren MBE (creator of Coronation Street) who passéd away earlier in the year.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Steve McFadden was born on 20 March 1959 in Maida Vale, London, England, UK. He is an actor, known for EastEnders (1985), Doctor Who: Dimensions in Time (1993) and Kevin & Perry Go Large (2000).2016 Special Achievement Award; onscreen- Nick Pickard was born on 16 April 1975 in London, England, UK. He is an actor, known for Hollyoaks (1995), Mio in the Land of Faraway (1987) and Hollyoaks Later (2008).2017 outstanding achievement award
- Gillian Richmond is a writer for television, stage and radio, who grew up on army bases around the world. The Last Waltz, her first major play, and winner of a Thames TV Theatre Writers Award, told the story of a friendship between two ill-matched army wives. The Legacy, written during her residency at the Soho Theatre was shortlisted for the Susan Smith Blackburn award.
She had a long association with EastEnders, and has written several landmark episodes. She was responsible for one of the first gay kisses broadcast on British mainstream TV ( when Colin kissed Barry - on the forehead - goodnight) and caused a press and public outcry. Her many other TV credits range from Silent Witness to Heartbeat. She has developed several original TV projects along the way, mostly with the BBC.
Early in her career she was a core writer on The Archers. She loves the intimacy of radio and three plays have been broadcast on BBC Radio 4: The Snatch; Moving Along and The Lost Child.2017 Tony Warren Award - Actor
- Soundtrack
Rudolph Walker was born on 28 September 1939 in Trinidad, British West Indies [now Trinidad and Tobago]. He is an actor, known for EastEnders (1985), King Ralph (1991) and The Thin Blue Line (1995). He has been married to Evangeline Vincent since 2016. He was previously married to Dounne Alexander and Lorna Ross.2018 outstanding achievement award- Actor
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- Director
Kieran Roberts is an American actor, singer, and filmmaker whose passion, drive, and optimism have all earned him the reputation as a genuine voice in the entertainment industry. He is also a Billboard charting R&B recording artist who has had the opportunity to tour across the globe. Throughout the course of several years, he's been actively involved in the entertainment space.
Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, Kieran Roberts' love of the arts began at just 11 years of age, with music taking center stage for over a decade. By his early 20s, he expanded his horizons to television and film.
If Kieran Roberts' voice sounds pleasantly familiar, it's because he has three Billboard R&B hits to his name - "Hard Time" (#24 on the top 100 R&B Billboard chart), "You Saved My Life" (#25 on the top 100 R&B Billboard chart) and "Oh! Darlin'" (#39 on the top 100 R&B Billboard chart).
Touring around the world, Kieran Roberts performed with Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliot, Busta Rhymes, and Tank, playing venues that include New York's Apollo, VMA awards, Billboard Music Awards, MTV-London Music Awards and New York City's Summer-Jam. Roberts has also opened for Snoop Dogg, Boyz 2 Men, Trey Songz, Akon, Ciara, Anthony Hamilton, Chakka Khan, Sean Paul, Angie Stone, Stevie Wonder, and many others. Not to mention, his voice can be heard in national voiceover ad campaigns and spots for brands such as McDonalds, Fox Sports, NIKE, Lincoln Navigator, Wells Fargo, Air Jamaica, and more.
As an actor, Kieran Roberts is known to become heavily immersed in his roles. Whether comedic, or dramatic, he delivers with a smooth, authoritative, charismatic, and genuine realness. Roberts most recently landed roles in FBI: INTERNATIONAL (CBS), BUST DOWN (NBC), and ME TIME (NETFLIX) alongside Kevin Hart and Mark Wahlberg. In addition, his notable theatre credits include roles in off off-Broadway productions of "The Wizard Of Oz" and "From My Heart To Yours".2018 Tony Warren Award- Additional Crew
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Production Manager
2019 Tony Warren Award- Actress
- Soundtrack
Letitia Dean was born on 14 November 1967 in Wild Hill, near Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, England, UK. She is an actress, known for England, My England (1995), EastEnders (1985) and Doctor Who: Dimensions in Time (1993). She was previously married to Jason Pethers.2022 outstanding achievement award- Writer
- Additional Crew
- Script and Continuity Department
Jan McVerry was born in 1966 in Liverpool, Merseyside, England, UK. She is a writer, known for Coronation Street (1960), Emmerdale Farm (1972) and The Time of Your Life (2007).2022 Tony Warren Award- Mark Charnock was born on 28 August 1968 in Bolton, Lancashire, England, UK. He is an actor, known for Emmerdale Farm (1972), Mystery!: Cadfael (1994) and Emmerdale: Revenge (1998).2023 outstanding achievement award
- Casting Department
- Casting Director
- Actor
Peter joined Lime Pictures in October 2015 taking up the position of Head of Casting & Casting Director of Hollyoaks. In his position as Head of Casting Peter oversees the casting needs for all Lime Drama and Children's output.
Peter initially trained as an Actor at The Arts Education School, London and worked professionally as an Actor across various TV, Film & Theatre projects before moving behind the camera to work in production and casting.
Over the years Peter has worked on many popular and well-known productions such as 'Where the Heart is', 'Coronation Street', 'Shameless', 'Blue Murder' & 'Cold Blood' to name but a few. In recent years his career has led him to cast an array of productions both for the UK and international markets ranging from Music Videos to TV Commercials, TV Comedy, TV Drama, Feature films and Theatre.
In 2018 Peter was awarded Casting Director of the year by The Mandy Network.2023 Tony Warren Award