Coronation Street star Peter Armitage is best known for his time in Weatherfield playing Bill Webster.
As Kevin takes a phone call to say his dad has had a heart attack tonight (Thursday, March 2), he’s devastated by the news.
But who was Bill Webster? What did he get up to during his time in Coronation Street? And where is he now?
Who was Bill Webster in Coronation Street?
Bill Webster was dad to Kevin and Debbie, and later he was the proud granddad to Rosie and Sophie – and Jack, of course.
He first appeared in Coronation Street back in 1984, when he struck up a romance with Percy Sugden’s niece Elaine Prior.
Bill and Elaine got married and moved to Southampton, and later to Germany where they had a son called Carl.
But their marriage broke down and Bill came back to Weatherfield in 1995.
Bill and Maureen
After the break-up of her marriage to Reg Holdsworth, the much-married Maureen fell for Bill. But when they split, she married Fred Elliott on the rebound.
Just a few days after saying “I do”, Maureen realised she’d made a terrible mistake and rekindled her romance with Bill. They ran away back to Germany together.
Romancing Audrey
In 2006, Bill came back to Weatherfield again.
This time he fell for Audrey Roberts – devastating Maureen when she followed him to Coronation Street in the hope of repairing their marriage.
He stuck around for longer this time, and eventually started a romance with Pam Hobsworth (played by Kate Anthony, who has also appeared in Emmerdale as Hazel – Andrea Tate’s mum).
But that got a bit awks when it turned out Bill’s son Kevin was getting his end away with Pam’s niece Molly Dobbs (played by another former Emmerdale star, Vicky Binns, who played Ollie Reynolds).
Pam and Bill went back to Germany and Kevin mentions his dad occasionally.
Does Bill Webster die in Coronation Street?
On Thursday, March 2, Kevin gets a call about his dad.
He’s told the devastating news that Bill has had a heart attack in Germany.
It’s the second heart attack Bill has had after a previous one in 2003.
Bill made a full recovery.
However, whether or not he lives this time remains to be seen.
Who did Peter Armitage play in Emmerdale?
Bill Webster actor Peter Armitage also had a role in Emmerdale as Wilf Butler.
Wilf was a farmer who was the tenant of Butler’s Farm.
The farm was part of the Home Farm Estate, but Wilf and his son Stephen were struggling to pay the rent.
By 2003, poor Wilf’s wife had left him and he was almost bankrupt.
Jack Sugden took pity on the struggling farmer and paid the overdue rent on the farm – which annoyed the Tates and lost Jack his job.
But later, Wilf signed over the tenancy of Butler’s to Andy Sugden.
And now it’s Moira who farms there.
Who is Peter Armitage?
Peter was appointed Member of the British Empire in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list in 2011, for his services to amateur theatre.
Sadly, Peter passed away from a heart attack in 2018, when he was 79.
He was survived by his two children, Daniel and Sally, who he shared with his ex-wife Annabel Scase.
His death was announced on Twitter by his friend Charlie Lawson, who played Jim McDonald and other members of the Corrie cast paid tribute.
@itvcorrie @simongregson123 It’s with great sadness, that I’ve to tell you my great old friend Pete Armitage has died. RIP mate.
— Charlie Lawson (@charlie_lawson1) December 4, 2018
So sorry to hear this , lovely man . Thoughts to family and friends x
— Jane Danson (@RealJaneDanson) December 4, 2018
I loved Pete what a lovely man very sad RIP lovely man
— simon gregson (@simongregson123) December 4, 2018
Read more: Who is in the cast of Emmerdale 2022? Meet the full line-up
Emmerdale usually airs weeknights at 7.30pm on ITV, with an hour episode on Thursdays.
Coronation Street usually airs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV.
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