Tears from stars for much-loved ‘great’ of the Street

Touching memories of the actor Bill Tarmey were recounted at the funeral of the former builder who will indelibly be linked to the “workshy ne’er do well and layabout” Jack Duckworth he played for three decades.

The actor became one of TV’s most recognisable faces as the long-suffering husband to nagging battleaxe Vera, played by Liz Dawn.

Their endearing on-screen partnership was one of the most popular in soap history and gave the show some of its funniest and most memorable moments.

So many people wanted to pay their respects to the actor who died earlier this month aged 71 that the service was relayed on loudspeakers to those gathered outside the Albion United Reformed Church in Ashton-under-Lyne on the outskirts of Manchester where he grew up.

Among the 700 mourners inside the church were Leeds-born Dawn, who left the soap in 2008 through ill health and attended in a wheelchair, Nigel Pivaro, who played Tarmey’s on-screen son Terry Duckworth, and Alan Halsall, whose character, Tyrone Dobbs, looked up to Jack Duckworth as a father figure.

Other Street stars past and present in attendance were William Roache (Ken Barlow), Julie Goodyear (Bet Lynch), Roy Barraclough (Alec Gilroy), Sally Dynevor (Sally Webster), Brooke Vincent (Sophie Webster), Sue Nicholls (Audrey Roberts), Michael Le Vell (Kevin Webster), Helen Worth (Gail Platt), Shobna Gulati (Sunita Alahan), Kate Ford (Tracy Barlow), Jennie McAlpine (Fiz Stape) and Kevin Kennedy (Norman “Curly” Watts).

They joined Ali, his wife of 50 years, and the couple’s family to say a final goodbye. As the coffin was carried out into the aisle, spontaneous applause broke out.

Samia Ghadie, who plays Maria Connor, said in an eulogy: “He was genuinely one of the most decent and honourable men you could ever wish to meet.

“Jack and Vera were a truly unforgettable and formidable partnership, and I doubt we’ll ever see that again. They were simply iconic and Jack Duckworth will forever be a true Coronation Street legend.

“On behalf of everyone who works at Coronation Street and has worked on the programme during its 52 years, and the loyal viewers who have followed the programme throughout these years – Bill, we salute you.

“And thank you Bill for being the light in our lives for all those years and for bringing so much joy and happiness to millions of people.”

Fighting back tears throughout, she said: “He made me laugh so much that on occasions I’d be crying with laughter.

“He was wise, kind, honest, warm-hearted and had the most generous spirit.

“Bill was totally devoted to his family. His wife Ali and their children, Carl and Sara, his seven grandchildren and great grandson were his world.

“We felt like his other family, albeit part of his professional life, but he was always there for us and for that we are truly grateful.”

She spoke of Tarmey and Dawn as being “truly talented actors”.

“Their timing was perfect and they had this most amazing bond together,” she said. “They were almost telepathic in their approach.”

In a second tribute, Nigel Pivaro said that Tarmey would live on partly through his “wonderful portrayal of Jack Duckworth which enthralled and entertained the nation for over 35 years in which in that role Bill played high drama, tragedy and comedy with equal aplomb”.

He questioned why Jack Duckworth was beloved by millions across the world.

He was “a workshy ne’er do well, a layabout and they were just his good points”, he said.

But “there is a bit of Jack Duckworth in all of us 
men, frustration and thwarted ambition, you know the 
rest”.

He continued: “Behind the character was the man. Bill’s huge generosity of spirit, his warmth, his wit, his patience, his wisdom. I think those qualities that he had in abundance we will keep them in our hearts as his legacy.

“Thank you Bill for having such a wonderful life, so fully and sharing it with all of us.”