An acclaimed, TV and stage star took up a job as a Tesco delivery driver when work was scarce and is also committed to helping theatre venues that are under threat

An award-winning actor, who is also an accomplished photographer, knew he had to do something drastic to earn money for his family when there were no new roles on offer in the entertainment industry.

He is probably best known for his role as local builder Charlie Stubbs in Coronation Street. He joined the cast on the cobbles in 2003 until 2007 when his character was killed by Tracy Barlow after a domestic abuse storyline. However before that Bill Ward, now 57, had already starred in numerous hit TV shows such as Footballers’ Wives, Holby City, The Bill and even in an episode of BBC1 soap EastEnders. After his demise as villain Charlie, Bill continued to work solidly on telly in Heartbeat, Doctors, Casualty and several films before landing another main soap role in Emmerdale in 2013.

He was cast as farmer James Barton in Emmerdale, who has four sons and a scheming ex, Emma Barton. After years of drama, involving Chas Dingle and his sister-in-law Moira, Emma eventually pushes him off a bridge in 2016, causing the Hotten Bypass crash – a 19 car pile up – which also takes the life of James.

Bill, like many others at the time, was a victim of the Covid-19 pandemic and as the effects started to take hold in the entertainment industry, work dried up. Bill began working as a part-time delivery driver for Tesco in May 2020. He was also teaching drama, doing voiceover work and helping to raise money for theatre venues under threat.

Bill as James with his scheming ex Emma (Image: ITV)

He was touring in a production of The Glee Club when the pandemic hit and told Bristol Live : “Towards the end of May it started to become clear that the pandemic wasn’t going away, and if anything it was going to get worse. That’s when you look at the rest of the year ahead and think, ‘Okay, I need to make a living this year; how are we going to do that as a family?’

“My partner and I started doing things we wouldn’t normally be able to do as much of, and for me one of those things has been giving photography talks to camera clubs over Zoom. I’ve also taught in drama schools and film schools, written for photography magazines and done a few bits of voiceover work for Channel 5. But on top of that you need some kind of regular income, so I’ve been a delivery driver for Tesco since the end of May, doing around 30 hours a week.”

Bill who is also an accomplished photographer, helped raise money for theatres under threat at the time by putting together a picture book full of haunting snaps of empty venues. The pictures were taken by Bill over the years while he was touring on stage and he put them together into a book called Theatres In Danger. It was sold to raise money for the Theatres Trust, which supports under-threat venues.

When theatres reopened he spent six months touring across the UK with a brand new production of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and also had guest roles in Vera, Casualty and Doctors. He was most recently seen in ITV ’s three part drama The Hunt for Raoul Moat and as Gerald in the UK tour of The Full Monty.