Bill Waddington

Who was Bill Waddington?

Bill Waddington, was an English music hall performer and comedian who was born in Oldham, Lancashire. In later life he achieved stardom as the pompous ex serviceman Percy Sugden in Granada Television's long-running soap opera, Coronation Street.

Waddington was born at Oldham on 10 June 1916, the son of a builder. He played the ukulele and became a member of a group called the Blue Pencils, recruited to entertain forces during the Second World War.

After the war "Waddy" became a comedian, often appearing on the same bill as Jill Summers, who would eventually play Phyllis Pearce, Percy Sugden's foil in Granada TV's Coronation Street. In 1955 Bill was chosen for the Royal Variety Performance, and when American stars such as Frankie Laine, Lena Horne, Billy Daniels and Dorothy Lamour toured Britain, he was the opening comedian in their shows. His agent was Lew Grade.

Waddington appeared in more than 800 variety and comedy programmes on radio, and made his mark on television, starring with Margaret Lockwood as early as 1946. In the 1970s he enjoyed a stage partnership with Sid James, only ended by James's death in 1976.