Trivia

When he played 'Mike Baldwin' on Coronation Street (1960) he did his very first scene with Barbara Knox. In his very last scene when his character 'Mike Baldwin' dies on the cobbles on Coronation Street, Barbara Knox also appears.

He was made an M.B.E. (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) in the 2007 Queen's New Years Honours List for services to entertainment.

He was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006 at the British Soap Awards.

Reached number 35 in the UK singles chart with a version of Frank and Nancy Sinatra's "Somethin' Stupid", a duet with his Coronation Street (1960) co-star Amanda Barrie. (December 1995)

Is one of 8 Coronation Street (1960) actors to win the Lifetime Achievement Award at the British Soap Awards. The others are William Roache, Barbara Knox, Elizabeth Dawn, Betty Driver, William Tarmey, Helen Worth and Anne Kirkbride.

He has two children, Mark born 1963 and Karen, born 1965 from his first marriage .

His second wife, Christine Allison was a school teacher.

Between 1953 and 55 he was in the army stationed with the Royal Tank Regiment at Catterick and also saw service in Germany,.

At one time the BBC. tried to poach him to join Eastenders.

In several films including The Magic Box (1951).

At the Windmill Theatre he had to stand at the side of the stage and hand a fan to a fan dancer then hand her her coat when she came off.

He was married to a former teacher and had 3 children . He also had 2 children from a first marriage.

He had a younger sister who died,.

He appeared several times in No Hiding Place as a crook before being cast as Det Sgt John Russell.

He met his wife Carole as a result of a blind date.

He made his stage debut as a singing shepherd boy in Tosca and later sang in the chorus of La Boheme.

He started as a boy soprano in opera and later worked at the Windmill Theatre.

Professional debut as a boy soprano in the Puccini opera La Boheme on the London stage in 1947.

Male TV Personality of year in 1983.