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Bill Kenwright, best known as a West End theatre producer and chairman of Everton Football Club, has died at the age of 78.
Kenwright had a prolonged stay in intensive care earlier this year after having a liver tumour removed in August. He was then released on October 12 to recover at home, before his passing a matter of days later.
The Liverpudlian had been in the hotseat at Goodison Park since 2004 having made his name in the performing arts, including having roles behind the scenes in the successes of Blood Brothers and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
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An actor in his youth, Kenwright even had a role in Coronation Street a before moving into theatre management with the Theatre Royal in Windsor.
He took up a role at Everton as a board member back in 1989, later succeeding Littlewoods director Philip Carter as chairman. He also became the largest stakeholder in the club back in 2004 and worked closely with Farhad Moshiri following his purchase of the club back in 2016.
Kenwright, who received an CBE for his services to film and theatre back in 2001, leaves behind his daughter and two grandchildren from a previous marriage, having been in a long-term relationship with actress Jenny Seagrove.
A statement from the club said: "Everton Football Club is in mourning following the death of Chairman Bill Kenwright CBE, who passed away peacefully last night aged 78, surrounded by his family and loved ones.
"Everton’s longest serving chairman for more than a century, Bill Kenwright led the Club through a period of unprecedented change in English football. A lifelong Evertonian, he became a board member on October 23, 1989, and then on Boxing Day 1999 his True Blue Holdings consortium acquired the Club. Initially vice-chairman, he succeeded his close friend Sir Philip Carter as Chair in 2004.
"In his 19 seasons as Chairman, the Club secured 12 top eight finishes, including a top four finish in 2005, a run to the 2009 FA Cup final and European qualification on 6 separate occasions. The club has lost a chairman, a leader, a friend, and an inspiration. The thoughts and prayers of everyone at Everton are with his partner Jenny Seagrove, his daughter Lucy Kenwright, grandchildren and everybody who knew and loved him."
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- Everton FC
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