William Tarmey, actor and singer, was surprised by Michael Aspel while filming a scene for the ITV soap opera Coronation Street, on the set of the Rovers Return. After several years working in the construction industry, Bill's first foray into show business came in 1968 when he started working as a nightclub singer and entertainer in clubs in and around the Manchester area. To supplement his income he took work as an extra at Granada Studios on such television shows as Coronation Street, in which he first appeared as the character of Jack Duckworth in November 1979. Jack became a regular character from 1983 and Bill became a household name as the loveable rogue with a love of pigeons.