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Between 1983 and 2003, Kennedy played the character of [[Curly Watts|Norman "Curly" Watts]] in the TV soap ''Coronation Street''. Among other jobs, the character started as a paperboy, then became a dustman, and was later an assistant manager at a supermarket. The character had two marriages, producing two children; one from each wife. After a short break from acting whilst recovering from an alcohol addiction in 2000,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4161/is_20000220/ai_n14502360 |work=Sunday Mirror |first=Gavin |last=Blyth |title=I was a washed-up alcoholic soap star until the day I started |date=20 February 2000 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110224213543/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4161/is_20000220/ai_n14502360/ |archive-date=24 February 2011 }}</ref> he released a single, "Bulldog Nation", with his band the Bunch of Thieves, on the [[RCA Records]] label. The single peaked at No. 70 on the [[UK Singles Chart]].<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book|first=David|last=Roberts|year=2006|title=British Hit Singles & Albums|edition=19th|publisher=Guinness World Records Limited|location=London|isbn=978-1-904994-10-7|page=299}}</ref>
Between 1983 and 2003, Kennedy played the character of [[Curly Watts|Norman "Curly" Watts]] in the TV soap ''Coronation Street''. Among other jobs, the character started as a paperboy, then became a dustman, and was later an assistant manager at a supermarket. The character had two marriages, producing two children; one from each wife. After a short break from acting whilst recovering from an alcohol addiction in 2000,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4161/is_20000220/ai_n14502360 |work=Sunday Mirror |first=Gavin |last=Blyth |title=I was a washed-up alcoholic soap star until the day I started |date=20 February 2000 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110224213543/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4161/is_20000220/ai_n14502360/ |archive-date=24 February 2011 }}</ref> he released a single, "Bulldog Nation", with his band the Bunch of Thieves, on the [[RCA Records]] label. The single peaked at No. 70 on the [[UK Singles Chart]].<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book|first=David|last=Roberts|year=2006|title=British Hit Singles & Albums|edition=19th|publisher=Guinness World Records Limited|location=London|isbn=978-1-904994-10-7|page=299}}</ref>


He returned to ''Coronation Street'' a few months later, before being written out permanently in September 2003. In an interview in 2009, Kennedy said that he would consider a return to the show<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/a152661/kennedy-id-like-to-return-to-corrie.html |title=Kennedy: 'I'd like to return to Corrie' - Coronation Street News - Soaps |publisher=Digital Spy |date=2009-04-14 |access-date=2013-04-19}}</ref> and it was later confirmed that he would film scenes for its fiftieth anniversary DVD. However, more than a decade after his departure, he has yet to make a return.<ref name="Primetime.unrealitytv.co.uk">{{cite web|url=http://primetime.unrealitytv.co.uk/ken-morley-and-kevin-kennedy-to-return-to-coronation-street|title=Ken Morley and Kevin Kennedy to return to Coronation Street &#124; Unreality TV|publisher=Primetime.unrealitytv.co.uk|date=2 August 2010|access-date=18 August 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111001000753/http://primetime.unrealitytv.co.uk/ken-morley-and-kevin-kennedy-to-return-to-coronation-street/|archive-date=1 October 2011}}</ref> Kennedy was the writer and producer of the 2005 television series ''Spanish Capers''. A second series was recorded in 2006–2007 for [[Sky UK|BSkyB]].
He returned to ''Coronation Street'' a few months later, before being written out permanently in September 2003. In an interview in 2009, Kennedy said that he would consider a return to the show<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/a152661/kennedy-id-like-to-return-to-corrie.html |title=Kennedy: 'I'd like to return to Corrie' - Coronation Street News - Soaps |publisher=Digital Spy |date=2009-04-14 |access-date=2013-04-19}}</ref> and it was later confirmed that he would film scenes for its fiftieth anniversary DVD. However, more than twenty years after his departure, he has yet to make a return.<ref name="Primetime.unrealitytv.co.uk">{{cite web|url=http://primetime.unrealitytv.co.uk/ken-morley-and-kevin-kennedy-to-return-to-coronation-street|title=Ken Morley and Kevin Kennedy to return to Coronation Street &#124; Unreality TV|publisher=Primetime.unrealitytv.co.uk|date=2 August 2010|access-date=18 August 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111001000753/http://primetime.unrealitytv.co.uk/ken-morley-and-kevin-kennedy-to-return-to-coronation-street/|archive-date=1 October 2011}}</ref> Kennedy was the writer and producer of the 2005 television series ''Spanish Capers''. A second series was recorded in 2006–2007 for [[Sky UK|BSkyB]].


In 2009, Kennedy played the part of aging hippie "Pop" in the touring production of Queen & [[Ben Elton]]'s ''[[We Will Rock You (musical)|We Will Rock You]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sunderlandecho.com/daily/Get-ready-to-go-Ga.5171443.jp|title=Get ready to go Ga Ga over We Will Rock You|publisher=Sunderland Echo|access-date=18 August 2011}}</ref> before joining the cast of the West End London production in 2010. In 2015, Kennedy was asked to be involved with the launch of the world's third-largest cruise liner "RCI Anthem of the Seas" appearing in a West End production of "We Will Rock You". He has appeared many times on board as Pop; most recently in the UK Seacation cruises from Southampton in summer 2021.
In 2009, Kennedy played the part of aging hippie "Pop" in the touring production of Queen & [[Ben Elton]]'s ''[[We Will Rock You (musical)|We Will Rock You]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sunderlandecho.com/daily/Get-ready-to-go-Ga.5171443.jp|title=Get ready to go Ga Ga over We Will Rock You|publisher=Sunderland Echo|access-date=18 August 2011}}</ref> before joining the cast of the West End London production in 2010. In 2015, Kennedy was asked to be involved with the launch of the world's third-largest cruise liner "RCI Anthem of the Seas" appearing in a West End production of "We Will Rock You". He has appeared many times on board as Pop; most recently in the UK Seacation cruises from Southampton in summer 2021.

Revision as of 23:08, 26 May 2023

Kevin Kennedy
Born
Kevin Patrick Williams

(1961-09-04) 4 September 1961 (age 63)
Occupation(s)Actor and musician
Years active1982–present
Known forCoronation Street (1983–2003)
Spouse
Clare Kennedy
(m. 1996)
Children3

Kevin Kennedy (born Kevin Patrick Williams, 4 September 1961) is an English actor and musician, best known for playing the character Curly Watts for 20 years in ITV's long-running television soap opera Coronation Street.

Early life

Kennedy was born in Wythenshawe, Manchester. He attended St. Paul's Catholic High School and was a member of Manchester Youth Theatre. Kennedy later studied drama at Manchester Polytechnic.[citation needed]

Career

Kennedy was in the band the Paris Valentinos with Johnny Marr and Andy Rourke, who later formed half of The Smiths.[1]

Between 1983 and 2003, Kennedy played the character of Norman "Curly" Watts in the TV soap Coronation Street. Among other jobs, the character started as a paperboy, then became a dustman, and was later an assistant manager at a supermarket. The character had two marriages, producing two children; one from each wife. After a short break from acting whilst recovering from an alcohol addiction in 2000,[2] he released a single, "Bulldog Nation", with his band the Bunch of Thieves, on the RCA Records label. The single peaked at No. 70 on the UK Singles Chart.[3]

He returned to Coronation Street a few months later, before being written out permanently in September 2003. In an interview in 2009, Kennedy said that he would consider a return to the show[4] and it was later confirmed that he would film scenes for its fiftieth anniversary DVD. However, more than twenty years after his departure, he has yet to make a return.[5] Kennedy was the writer and producer of the 2005 television series Spanish Capers. A second series was recorded in 2006–2007 for BSkyB.

In 2009, Kennedy played the part of aging hippie "Pop" in the touring production of Queen & Ben Elton's We Will Rock You[6] before joining the cast of the West End London production in 2010. In 2015, Kennedy was asked to be involved with the launch of the world's third-largest cruise liner "RCI Anthem of the Seas" appearing in a West End production of "We Will Rock You". He has appeared many times on board as Pop; most recently in the UK Seacation cruises from Southampton in summer 2021.

He also appeared in the 2009 "Scent from Heaven?" advert for Daz, as part of the company's "Cleaner Close" campaign.[7] In 2010, Kennedy, along with several other Coronation Street stars, contributed to Trisha Ward's album Rogues, Angels, Heroes and Fools, recorded for the fiftieth anniversary of the soap.[8] In 2017, he played Graham Ollerinshaw, a David Bowie tribute act, in an episode of the BBC's Holby City.

In 2019, he appeared in Cinderella at Cambridge Arts Theatre.

He played an angel in the Christmas episode of Mrs Brown's Boys on 25 December 2019.

Personal life

Kennedy is married and has three children. He serves as director of Kennedy Street recovery services, a social enterprise, with his wife Clare, the Brighton-based organisation's CEO, offering free telephone advice, signposting to local recovery services, home-based detox, various recovery focused programmes and a professional advice and coaching service to the business sector.[9]

Credits

Acting

Year(s) Title Role
1983 Dear Ladies Boy in photo booth
1983–2003 Coronation Street Norman "Curly" Watts
1,563 episodes
1984 Keep on Running Pete Bennett
2005–2007 Spanish Capers Presenter
2006 Blue Murder Donny McAvoy
Doctors Mick Carter
2010 Coronation Street: A Knights Tale Norman "Curly" Watts
2010 We Will Rock You Pop
2017 Holby City Graham Ollerinshaw
2018–2019 Rock of Ages Dennis Dupree
2019 Mrs Brown's Boys Clyde (The Angel)

Albums

Year(s) Title
2000 Bulldog Nation
2002 Present Kennedy
2010 Rogues, Heroes, Angels & Fools

References

  1. ^ Johnny Maher fansite
  2. ^ Blyth, Gavin (20 February 2000). "I was a washed-up alcoholic soap star until the day I started". Sunday Mirror. Archived from the original on 24 February 2011.
  3. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 299. ISBN 978-1-904994-10-7.
  4. ^ "Kennedy: 'I'd like to return to Corrie' - Coronation Street News - Soaps". Digital Spy. 14 April 2009. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
  5. ^ "Ken Morley and Kevin Kennedy to return to Coronation Street | Unreality TV". Primetime.unrealitytv.co.uk. 2 August 2010. Archived from the original on 1 October 2011. Retrieved 18 August 2011.
  6. ^ "Get ready to go Ga Ga over We Will Rock You". Sunderland Echo. Retrieved 18 August 2011.
  7. ^ "Sniffing out white lies and dirty laundry - in Cleaner Close". Dazwhite.co.uk. Archived from the original on 10 May 2013. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
  8. ^ "Coronation Street - Rogues, Angels, Heroes and Fools - The Making of". YouTube. 21 December 2010. Archived from the original on 13 December 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
  9. ^ "Kevin Kennedy". LinkedIn. Retrieved 18 April 2018.