Former Emmerdale star Bill Ward has revealed he’s taken up a job as a Tesco delivery driver after his theatre and acting work dried up due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The actor, 53, told how he’s been forced to take up the part-time role in a bid to get a regular income as the pandemic has decimated the arts and entertainment industry.
As well as delivering shopping to customers, Bill has also kept busy with voiceover work, photography workshops, teaching drama and raising money for the theatre industry with his new charity photography book.
Needs must: Former Emmerdale star Bill Ward has revealed he’s taken up a job as a Tesco delivery driver after his theatre and acting work dried up due to the coronavirus pandemic
Bill, who also played Charlie Stubbs in Coronation Street, had been starring a touring production of The Glee Club when the virus struck.
Speaking to Bristol Live about his sudden change in circumstances, he said: ‘Towards the end of May it started to become clear that the pandemic wasn’t going away, and if anything it was going to get worse.
‘That’s when you look at the rest of the year ahead and think, “Okay, I need to make a living this year; how are we going to do that as a family?”.’
Bill, who is an accomplished photographer, went on to explain that he and his partner decided at that point to do things that they ‘wouldn’t normally be able to do’, one of which for Bill was holding photography talks with camera clubs over Zoom.
Alternative role: The actor, 53, told how he’s been forced to take up the part-time role in a bid to get a regular income as the pandemic has decimated the arts and entertainment industry (pictured as James Barton in Emmerdale)
He added that he supplemented his income by teaching in film and drama clubs, doing voiceover work for Channel 5 and writing for photography magazines.
However, the thespian recalled that in order to secure a regular income to support his family, he took up a role as Tesco delivery driver at the end of May, adding he’s ‘doing around 30 hours a week.’
Bill is one of thousands of actors and artists in the arts and entertainment industry who’ve found their livelihood suspended due to the pandemic, with many turning to other routes to earn a wage in the interim.
Doing his part for the embattled theatre industry, Bill has been helping to raise money for theatres under threat of closure with the production of his new photography book.
Time to act: Speaking to Bristol Live about his sudden change in circumstances, he said: ‘Towards the end of May it started to become clear that the pandemic wasn’t going away’
Income: The thespian recalled that in order to secure a regular income to support his family, he took up a role as Tesco delivery driver at the end of May, adding he’s ‘doing around 30 hours a week’
The photo book, named Theatres In Danger, is a collection of snaps taken by Bill of empty theatres and venues taken over the years from his touring on stage.
Money raised from the sale of the book will go to Theatres Trust, a non-profit organisation which supports theatres under threat.
Discussing the difficulty faced this year, he said: ‘With theatres shut for such a long time it affects the whole ecology of our work. It’s been very difficult to make a living from acting this year.’
He went on to say that ‘most actors and others’ behind the scenes have been ‘equally impacted’ in 2020, adding that as freelancers, they ‘can’t be furloughed’ or be entitled to receive the ‘self-employment income support scheme.’
Good job: Doing his part for the embattled theatre industry, Bill has been helping to raise money for theatres under threat of closure with the production of his new photography book (pictured as Charlie Stubbs on Coronation Street)
Bill noted that it was a case of ‘doing whatever you can to earn a living’, adding it was ‘part of the reason’ he wanted to ‘do something’ to show his support the struggling theatre industry.
As well as the £15.95 photography book, Bill is also selling limited edition prints of over 50 additional theatre snaps, with just under 100 photographs in the project in total.
Bill lives in Bristol with his partner and their two children.
He’s had an illustrious stage and screen career with West End appearances in Everybody’s Talking Bout Jamie, Spamalot and Viva Forever, while his TV roles include After Life, Silent Witness, Casualty and Footballers Wives.
So tough: ‘With theatres shut for such a long time it affects the whole ecology of our work. It’s been very difficult to make a living from acting this year’