Anecdotes

As well as an actor, he is also a musician and fronts the country-rock band The Bunch of Thieves. He has also guested with The Saw Doctors. As a youth, he played in a band called The Paris Valentinoes, with Johnny Marr and Andy Rourke, who would later join Morrissey to form the legendary alternative rock band The Smiths.

Checked into a clinic suffering from alcohol abuse having slipped and cut his head open on the set of Coronation Street (1960). Took lengthy time off to recover.

He has a son, Ryan Williams, from his first marriage. He has two daughters, Katie May (b. 20 January 2004) and Grace, from his marriage to Clare Kennedy.

Cousin of Chris Hook, of 60s group, Temperance Seven.

Cousin of Stefan Cush, frontman of folk-rockers, The Men They Couldn't Hang.