35 Facts About Bill Kenwright

William Kenwright was an English theatre and film producer.

Bill Kenwright was the chairman of Everton Football Club for nearly two decades, from 2004 until his death in 2023.

Bill Kenwright was born in Liverpool and attended Booker Avenue County Primary School, and then Liverpool Institute High School for Boys from 1957 to 1964.

Bill Kenwright was treasurer of the Christian Union at school.

Bill Kenwright was a judge in the 2007 BBC One television series Any Dream Will Do.

Bill Kenwright produced the London revival of Cabaret at the Lyric Theatre in September 2006, starring Anna Maxwell Martin, James Dreyfus and Sheila Hancock.

Bill Kenwright helped start the careers of many current West End theatre producers, including Mark Rubinstein and Marc Sinden.

Bill Kenwright directed many productions, including Blood Brothers, Whistle Down the Wind; he was asked by Andrew Lloyd Webber to make changes to the direction of Love Never Dies.

Bill Kenwright began his music career in a band known as the Chevrolets.

Bill Kenwright tried his hand at record production in 1969, producing two singles for Manchester band Money, who worked as his backing band for several cabaret gigs in Oldham and at Allinson's, Liverpool.

Bill Kenwright left the show after a year to pursue his producing career in March 1969, although he did return to the show on occasion throughout the 1970s for guest appearances.

Bill Kenwright has appeared in Coronation Street occasionally until 2012.

Bill Kenwright had brief stints in other shows, such as The Villains and The Liver Birds, and appeared in the films Carry On Matron, as a reporter, and England, My England.

Bill Kenwright succeeded Littlewoods director Philip Carter in the role.

Bill Kenwright remained on the Everton board since 23 October 1989 and up until his death in 2023.

Bill Kenwright became the second largest shareholder in 1999, when Peter Johnson sold his shareholding after the Football Association told him to sell his interests in either Tranmere Rovers or Everton.

Bill Kenwright became the largest stakeholder in the club in 2004.

Bill Kenwright became involved in a consortium to buy Everton in 1994, as his consortium rivalled Birkenhead-based Peter Johnson.

Bill Kenwright's consortium had assurances from the Everton owner's family head Lady Grantchester that the Moores family would sell their stake in the club.

Bill Kenwright's proposal was dismissed as the "Manchester Consortium" in the Liverpool Echo, as the rivalry between Liverpool and Manchester was enough to deter supporters' support.

Bill Kenwright's consortium included Manchester-based Tom Cannon, Tony Tighe and Mike Dyble, whilst building magnate Arthur Abercromby was Cheshire-based.

Bill Kenwright, who had been a director at Everton for ten years, had an opportunity to sway the board members to accept his bid but chose not to because he did not want a public relations battle with the more affluent Johnson.

Gregg had wanted to keep Rooney at the club and Bill Kenwright reluctantly felt it was best he be sold to ease the club's financial burden.

On 1 June 2004, Bill Kenwright became chairman of Everton Football Club.

Bill Kenwright said that Birch would be his "sounding board" and that the new CEO should "dictate the policy of the football club".

Bill Kenwright stated that Birch had not been brought in to sell the club, but that a new investor can have his shares as long as they "have money to run the club".

Bill Kenwright resigned after a meeting with True Blue Holding where the board opted not to sell the club.

In 2007, Bill Kenwright said in an interview on ITV that Goodison Park would soon fail to obtain a ground safety certificate and announced that he would like to move the club to Kirkby as part of a proposal known as Destination Kirkby which included a Tesco supermarket and a retail park.

At this meeting, Bill Kenwright revealed that he took business advice from retail industry leaders Sir Philip Green and Sir Terry Leahy.

Bill Kenwright was married to actress Anouska Hempel from 1978 to 1980 and had a daughter and two grandchildren from his relationship with the actress Virginia Stride.

The West End theatre publicist Adam Bill Kenwright is his nephew who runs advertising and marketing company aka.

Bill Kenwright received an Honorary Fellowship from Liverpool's John Moores University and was an Honorary Professor of University of West London in London.

Bill Kenwright was awarded the CBE for his services to film and theatre in the 2001 New Year Honours.

In March 2025, a bust of Bill Kenwright was unveiled at the Liverpool Empire Theatre, as the venue celebrated its 100th anniversary.

On 3 January 2014, Bill Kenwright appeared on the BBC show Pointless Celebrities.