This is a list of people from Blackpool.
Blackpool is a
seaside town
A seaside resort is a town, village, or hotel that serves as a vacation resort and is located on a coast. Sometimes the concept includes an aspect of official accreditation based on the satisfaction of certain requirements, such as in the German ' ...
and
unitary authority
A unitary authority is a local authority responsible for all local government functions within its area or performing additional functions that elsewhere are usually performed by a higher level of sub-national government or the national governmen ...
in
Lancashire
Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly.
The non-metropolitan county of Lancash ...
, in the
North West England.
Academia and research
*
Valerie Austin (born 1948), hypnotherapist and writer
Arts and entertainment
*
Joe-Warren Plant
Joseph-Warren Plant (born 12 April 2002) is a British actor, best known for his role of Jacob Gallagher in the British soap opera ''Emmerdale''. He has played the role since 2010 and was nominated for a British Soap Award in 2014 in the Best Youn ...
(born 2002), actor
*
Bill Ashton (born 1936), jazz saxophonist and composer
*
David Atherton
David Atherton (born 3 January 1944) is an English conductor and founder of the London Sinfonietta.
Background
Atherton was born in Blackpool, Lancashire into a musical family. He was educated at Blackpool Grammar
School. His father, Robert ...
(born 1944), conductor
*
David Ball (born 1959), music producer and musician
*
Zoë Ball
Zoe Louise Ball (born 23 November 1970) is a British radio and television presenter. She was the first female host of both ''Radio 1 Breakfast'' and '' The Radio 2 Breakfast Show'' for the BBC, and presented the 1990s children's show ''Live & ...
(born 1970), television and radio presenter
*
Steve Barker (born 1971), film director and screenwriter
*
Lennie Bennett
Michael Berry (26 September 1938 – 8 April 2009), known professionally as Lennie Bennett, was an English comedian and game show host.
After attending the Palatine Secondary School in Blackpool, Bennett became a journalist for the '' West Lanc ...
(1938–2009), comedian and television presenter
*
(1910–1980), Italian-born clown based in Blackpool
*
Roy Calley, journalist
*
Frank Carson
Hugh Francis Carson KSG (6 November 1926 – 22 February 2012) was a Northern Irish comedian and actor from Belfast. He was best known for being a regular face on television for many years from the 1970s onwards, appearing in series su ...
, Northern Irish comedian based in Blackpool
*
Jenna-Louise Coleman
Jenna-Louise Coleman (born 27 April 1986), known professionally as Jenna Coleman, is an English actress. She is known for her roles as Jasmine Thomas in the soap opera ''Emmerdale'', Clara Oswald in the science-fiction series '' Doctor Who'', ...
(born 1986), actress
*
Robert Crampton (born 1964), journalist
*
Lucy Fallon
Lucy Fallon (born 13 November 1995) is an English actress. She played Bethany Platt in the ITV soap opera '' Coronation Street'' (2015–2020). The role has earned her widespread recognition and several accolades, including two British Soap A ...
(born 1995), actress
*
Karima Francis
Karima Francis (born Karima Antoinette Francis Cunliffe, 28 April 1987 in Blackpool, England) is an English singer-songwriter.
Karima was named by ''The Observer'' the number one act to watch in 2009. After performing at In The City in Manches ...
singer-songwriter
*
Errol Fuller (born 1947), author and painter
*
Tom Gregory (born 1995), singer
*
Aiden Grimshaw
Aiden Samuel Grimshaw (born 4 December 1991) is an English singer, songwriter and actor who is better known by his stage name Butterjack. He successfully made it to the live shows in the seventh series of ''The X Factor'' in 2010 and finished ...
(born 1991), singer
*
Hamish Hamilton (born 1966), concert and award ceremony director
*
Jeffrey Hammond
Jeffrey Hammond (born 30 July 1946), often known by his former stage name Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond, is an artist and retired musician best known for being the bassist of progressive rock band Jethro Tull from 1971 to 1975. With Jethro Tull, Ha ...
(born 1946), musician
*
Roy Harper (born 1941), musician
*
Barney Harwood
Barnaby John "Barney" Harwood (born 7 November 1979) is a British actor and television presenter. He is known for his work with CBBC beginning in 2002.
Career Television
For CBBC, Harwood presented '' Prank Patrol'' and was a voice-over comment ...
(born 1979), television presenter
*
Emilios Hatjoullis (born 1939), cartoonist and graphic designer
*
Tony Husband (1950–2023), cartoonist
*
John Inman
Frederick John Inman (28 June 1935 – 8 March 2007) was an English actor and singer best known for his role as Mr. Humphries in '' Are You Being Served?'', a British sitcom between 1972 and 1985, and was the only actor from that series to featu ...
(1935–2007), actor known for ''
Are You Being Served?
''Are You Being Served?'' is a British sitcom created and written by executive producer David Croft (Croft also directed some episodes) and Jeremy Lloyd, with contributions from Michael Knowles and John Chapman, for the BBC. Set in London ...
''
*
Curtis Jobling
Curtis Jobling (born 14 February 1972) is a British illustrator, animator and author, born in Blackpool, England but lives in Warrington.
He was the original production designer of the stop-motion puppet version of children's TV hit ''Bob the ...
(born 1972), illustrator and animator
*
Patrick Keiller
Patrick Keiller (born 1950) is a British film-maker, writer and lecturer.
Biography
Keiller was born in 1950, in Blackpool and studied at the Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London. In 1979 he joined the Royal College of Art ...
(born 1950), film director
*
Jacqueline Leonard
Jacqueline Jackie Leonard is a Scottish actress. She is known for playing Sarah Preston in the ITV drama ''Peak Practice'' from 1993 to 1996, Lorraine Wicks in the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'' from 1996 to 1997, Dr. Caroline Powers in the BB ...
(born 1965), actress
*
Little Boots
Victoria Christina Hesketh (born 4 May 1984), better known by her stage name Little Boots, is an English electropop singer-songwriter and DJ. She was previously a member of the band Dead Disco. Since performing as a solo artist she has releas ...
(Victoria Hesketh, born 1984), singer-songwriter
*
Syd Little
Syd Little (born Cyril John Mead; 19 December 1942) is an English comedian who was the straight man in the double act Little and Large, with Eddie Large.
Life and career
Born in Blackpool, Little was raised in Manchester. After leaving Yew T ...
(born 1942), come (born 1955), singer
*
Chris Lowe
Christopher Sean Lowe (born 4 October 1959) is an English musician, singer and songwriter, and co-founder of the synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, which he formed with Neil Tennant in 1981.
Biography
Lowe attended Arnold School, an independen ...
(born 1959), musician
*
John Mahoney
Charles John Mahoney (June 20, 1940 – February 4, 2018) was an English-born American actor. He was known for playing Martin Crane on the NBC sitcom ''Frasier'' (1993–2004), and won a Screen Actors Guild Award for the role in 2000. Mahone ...
(born 1940), US actor (born in Bispham)
*
Nicholas McCarthy (born 1974), musician
*
Tania Mallet
Tania Mallet (19 May 1941 – 30 March 2019)''England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916–2007'' was an English actress and model, best known for playing Tilly Masterson in the James Bond film '' Goldfinger'' (1964).
Early life an ...
(born 1941), model and actress
*
Keith Marsh
Keith Marsh (1926 – 28 January 2013) was an English actor who appeared in numerous television productions over a 50-year period. Born in Blackpool, Lancashire, he is perhaps best known for playing Jacko in the Thames Television sitcom ' ...
(born 1926), actor
*
Gary Miller (1924–1968), singer and actor
*
Pauline Moran
Pauline Moran (born 26 August 1947) is an English actress, presenter, and astrologer, best known for her role as Miss Felicity Lemon in the British television series ''Agatha Christie's Poirot''.
She trained at several schools, including the ...
, actress
*
Rae Morris
Rachel Anne "Rae" Morris (born 2 September 1992) is an English singer and songwriter. She released her debut album, '' Unguarded'', in 2015. Her second album, '' Someone Out There'', was released in January 2018.
Early life
Morris was born in ...
(born 1992), singer-songwriter
*
David Morley (born 1964), poet
*
Janet Munro
Janet Munro (born Janet Neilson Horsburgh; 28 September 1934 – 6 December 1972) was a British actress. She won a Golden Globe Award for her performance in the film ''Darby O'Gill and the Little People'' (1959) and received a BAFTA Film Awar ...
(1934–1972), actress
*
Sarah Myerscough, sculptor
*
Graham Nash
Graham William Nash (born 2 February 1942) is an English musician, singer, songwriter, photographer, and activist. He is known for his light tenor voice and for his contributions as a member of the Hollies and the supergroups Crosby, Stills ...
(1942), singer-songwriter
*
Bernadette Nolan (born 1960), Irish-born singer and actress
*
Coleen Nolan
Coleen Patricia Nolan (born 12 March 1965) is an English singer, television personality, and author. She was a member of the girl group The Nolans from 1980 to 1994, in which she sang with her sisters. Since 2000, Nolan has been a regular panell ...
(born 1965), singer and television presenter
*
Craig Parkinson
Craig Parkinson (born 11 March 1976) is an English actor and podcaster. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Shaun in the E4 series '' Misfits'', twins Jimmy and Johnny Kray in the ITV series ''Whitechapel'', and DI Matthew "Dot" Cottan ...
(born 1976), actor
*
Russell Payne (born 1971), writer
*
Jodie Prenger
Jodie Prenger (born 12 June 1979) is an English actress and singer, best known as the winner of BBC television series '' I'd Do Anything'' on 31 May 2008 and the second series of ''The Biggest Loser'' in 2006. In 2022, she began portraying the ...
(born 1979), singer and actress
*
Maddy Prior
Madelaine Edith Prior MBE (born 14 August 1947) is an English folk singer, best known as the lead vocalist of Steeleye Span. She was born in Blackpool and moved to St Albans in her teens. Her father, Allan Prior, was co-creator of the police ...
(born 1947), singer
*
John Robb (born 1961), musician, TV presenter, author
*
Ted Rhodes
Theodore Rhodes (November 9, 1913 – July 4, 1969) was an American professional golfer who helped to break the color barrier in the sport.
Rhodes was born in Nashville, Tennessee and attended the city's public schools. He learned the game of g ...
, script editor
*
Barbara Robotham (1936–2013), opera singer and distinguished voice teacher
*
Jake Roche
Jake Peter Roche (born 16 September 1992) is an English singer and actor. He is known as the lead vocalist of the band Rixton, charting at number 1 on the UK Singles Chart with " Me and My Broken Heart". In 2010, he appeared in the ITV soap op ...
(born 1992), singer
*
Carol Royle
Carol Buchanan Royle (born 10 February 1954) is an English actress. She is best known for playing Jenny Russell in the BBC sitcom '' Life Without George'' (1987—1989) and Lady Patricia Brewster in '' Heartbeat'' (1997—2003).
Early life
Born ...
(born 1954), actress
*
Nikki Sanderson
Nikki Ann Sanderson (born 28 March 1984) is an English actress and former glamour model who is known for playing Candice Stowe in the television soap opera '' Coronation Street'', Dawn Bellamy in '' Heartbeat'' and Maxine Minniver in ''Hollyo ...
(born 1984), actress and model
*
Robert Smith (born 1959), musician
*
John Sumner (born 1951), actor
*
Hayley Tamaddon
Hayley Soraya Tamaddon (born 24 January 1977) is a British actress. She is known for her roles in the ITV soap operas as Del Dingle in ''Emmerdale'' and Andrea Beckett in ''Coronation Street''.
Tamaddon won the fifth series of ''Dancing on I ...
, actress
*
David Thewlis
David Wheeler (born 20 March 1963), better known as David Thewlis (), is a British actor, author, director and screenwriter.
Thewlis rose to prominence when he starred in the film ''Naked'' (1993), for which he won the Cannes Film Festival Awa ...
(born 1963), actor
*
Nicola Thorp
Nicola Thorp, also known as Nicola Sian, (born 30 September 1988) is an English actress, columnist and activist. She is perhaps best known for her portrayal of Nicola Rubinstein in ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''.
Early life
Thorp was bo ...
(born 1988), actress and broadcaster
*
Darrell Till (born 1975), singer-songwriter
*
Ricky Tomlinson
Eric "Ricky" Tomlinson (born 26 September 1939) is an English actor. He is best known for his television roles as Bobby Grant in '' Brookside'', DCI Charlie Wise in ''Cracker'' and Jim Royle in '' The Royle Family'', and playing the titular cha ...
(actor,
The Royle Family
''The Royle Family'' is a British sitcom produced by Granada Television for the BBC, which ran for three series from 1998 to 2000, and specials from 2006 to 2012. It centres on the lives of a television-fixated Manchester family, the Royles, com ...
) born 26 September 1939 in
Bispham, Blackpool
Bispham is a village on the Fylde coast in Lancashire, England, a mile and a half north of Blackpool town centre.
Geography and administration
The village is part of the borough of Blackpool, and generally considered a suburb of the town. To ...
, raised in
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a populat ...
)
*
Vicki-Lee Walberg, model
*
John Watson, comic book artist
*
Chris Wiggins
Christopher John Wiggins (January 13, 1931 – February 19, 2017) was an English-born Canadian actor.
Career
He started out as a banker in his home country before he began his acting career in Canada, where he moved in 1952.
Wiggins is probably ...
(born 1931), actor
*
Tony Williams (born 1947), musician
*
Tim Woolcock (born 1952), painter
*
Molly Wright (born 1996), actress
Business
*
Mike Bateson
Mike Bateson is an English businessman and former chairman of Torquay United Football Club.
Bateson was brought up in Blackpool and after a spell in the Scots Guards made his fortune selling double glazing in the South-West of England. In May 199 ...
, former football club chairman
*
William Lyons
Sir William Lyons"Sir William Lyons – The Official Biography" by Philip Porter & Paul Skilleter, Haynes Publishing (4 September 1901 – 8 February 1985), known as "Mr. Jaguar", was with fellow motorcycle enthusiast William Walmsley, the co ...
(1901–1985), co-founder of the
Swallow Sidecar Company
Swallow Sidecar Company,The first of three trading names used by W. Walmsley and W. Lyons for their manufacturing business. They were in partnerships:
* Swallow Sidecar Company 1922-1926
* Swallow Sidecar and Coachbuilding Company 1926-1927
* Sw ...
Military
*
John Schofield
John McAllister Schofield (September 29, 1831 – March 4, 1906) was an American soldier who held major commands during the American Civil War. He was appointed U.S. Secretary of War (1868–1869) under President Andrew Johnson and later served ...
(1892–1918), soldier and
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...
recipient
Politics, government and legal
*
George Carman (1929–2001), barrister
*
Neil Fletcher (born 1944), politician
*
Tom McNally (born 1943), politician
Science and health
*
Sheila Quinn
Dame Sheila Margaret Imelda Quinn, DBE, FRCN, RGN, RM, RNT (September 16, 1920–December 8, 2016), was a British nurse and fellow of the Royal College of Nursing. She was president of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) from 1982 to 1986. ...
(born 1920), nurse
*
Michael Smith (1932–2000), biochemist
Sports
*
William Anderton (born 1879), footballer
*
Jimmy Armfield
James Christopher Armfield, (21 September 1935 – 22 January 2018) was an English professional football player and manager who latterly worked as a football pundit for BBC Radio Five Live. He played the whole of his Football League career at B ...
(born 1935), footballer
*
Paul Askham (born 1962), figure skater
*
Tom Barkhuizen
Thomas John Barkhuizen (born 4 July 1993) is an English professional footballer who plays a forward for EFL League One club Derby County.
Career Blackpool
Born in Blackpool, Barkhuizen played junior football on the Fylde coast with Blackpool R ...
(born 1993), footballer
*
Malcolm Barrass
Malcolm Williamson Barrass (15 December 1924 – 4 August 2013) was an English professional association football, footballer.
His father, Matt Barrass (footballer born 1899), Matthew, was also a professional footballer. Malcolm W. Barrass was ...
(born 1924), footballer
*
Chris Beech (born 1974), footballer and coach
*
Matthew Blinkhorn (born 1985), footballer
*
Jamie Burns (born 1984), footballer
*
Joe Bullock (rugby league)
Joe Bullock (born 27 November 1992) is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays as a forward for the Warrington Wolves in the Super League.
Bullock has spent time on loan from Wigan at the South Wales Scorpions in Championsh ...
, (born 1992), rugby player
*
Paul Burgess (groundskeeper) (born 1978), groundskeeper
*
Alan Burton (born 1991), footballer
*
James Cahill (born 1995), snooker player
*
Joe Cardle (born 1987), footballer
*
Louis Cardwell
Louis Cardwell (20 August 1912 – 23 April 1986) was an English professional footballer. A defender, he spent six years at Blackpool in the 1930s, making over 100 the Football League appearances for the club, and helping them to win promotion ...
(1912–1986), footballer
*
Matthew Cassidy (born 1988), footballer
*
Ronnie Clayton (1923–2007), boxer
*
Harry Cookson (1869–1922), footballer
*
Kenny Cooper, Sr.
Kenny Cooper Sr. (born 11 October 1946) is an English former association football, football player and coach. A goalkeeper (association football), goalkeeper, he spent ten seasons playing for the Dallas Tornado of the North American Soccer Lea ...
(born 1946), footballer and coach
*
Billy Crellin (born 2000), footballer
*
Steven Croft (born 1984), cricketer
*
Ciaran Donnelly
Ciaran Donnelly (born 2 April 1984) is an English former professional footballer. He now the Academy Director at Blackpool.[Teddy Duckworth
Thomas Crook "Teddy" Duckworth (born 1882) was an English professional football player and manager. As a player, he was an outside right. He played in the Football League and the Southern League for Blackpool, West Ham United and Blackburn ...]
(born 1882), footballer
*
Dave Durie
David George Durie (13 August 1931 – 30 August 2016) was an English professional footballer. He played as a forward and spent the majority of his playing career at Blackpool.
Career
Blackpool-born Durie began his professional career wit ...
(born 1931), footballer
*
George Eastham
George Edward Eastham, OBE (born 23 September 1936) is an English former footballer. He is known for playing for Newcastle United, Arsenal and Stoke City, as well as a member of England's 1966 World Cup-winning squad. However, he is also nota ...
(born 1936), footballer
*
George Eastham, Sr. (1914–2000), footballer and manager
*
Dave Edge
David Edge (born November 12, 1954 in Blackpool, Lancashire, United Kingdom) is a former long-distance runner, who represented Canada at two consecutive Summer Olympics in the men's marathon.
Biography
In Blackpool, he had been a policeman. He m ...
(born 1954), British-Canadian Olympic long-distance runner
*
Lester Ellis
Lester Ellis (born 15 March 1965) is a British-born Australian former professional boxer. He is a five-time world champion, having also held the Australian and Commonwealth (twice) titles.
At the age of 19, In 1985, Ellis fought and beat then- ...
(born 1965), boxer
*
Andy Gouck (born 1972), footballer
*
Peter Harding (1924–2007), rock climber
*
Steve Harrison, footballer, manager and coach
*
Steve Hill (born 1940), footballer
*
John Hills (born 1978), footballer
*
Micky Holmes
Michael Arthur Holmes (born 9 September 1965) is an English professional association football, footballer who played as a midfielder in the Football League for eight teams during the 1980s and 1990s.
Career
Born in Bradford, Holmes began his p ...
(born 1965), footballer
*
John Hurst (born 1947), footballer
*
Herbert Jones (1896–1973), footballer
*
Matty Kay (born 1989), footballer
*
Darran Kempson (born 1984), footballer
*
Roger Kenyon (born 1949), footballer
*
Graham Lancashire (born 1972), footballer
*
Brian London
Brian Sidney Harper (19 June 1934 – 23 June 2021), known professionally as Brian London, was an English professional boxer who competed from 1955 to 1970. He held the British and Commonwealth heavyweight title from 1958 to 1959, and twice ...
(1934–2021), boxer originally from Hartlepool
*
Andrew Lyons (born 1966), footballer
*
Gavin McCann
Gavin Peter McCann (born 10 January 1978) is an English retired footballer who played as a midfielder in the English Premier League. He has one England cap to his name, playing against Spain at Villa Park in 2001. He is currently the First Tea ...
(born 1978), footballer
*Ben Marsden (born 1979), field hockey player
*Barrie-Jon Mather (born 1973), rugby player
*Darren Matthews (born 10 May 1968), Professional wrestler (Known as William Regal or Lord Steven Regal)
*Jamie Milligan (born 1980), footballer
*Kevin Moore (footballer, born 1956), Kevin Moore (born 1956), footballer
*Lee Morris (footballer), Lee Morris (born 1980), footballer
*Reginald Neal (footballer), Reginald Neal (born 1914), footballer
*Wes Newton (born 1977), darts player
*Michael Page (cricketer), Michael Page (born 1941), cricketer
*Jack Parkinson (footballer born 1869), Jack Parkinson (1869–1911), footballer
*Wilfred Proctor, footballer
*Jesse Pye (1919–1984), footballer
*Joe Riley (footballer, born 1996), Joe Riley (born 1996), footballer
*James Schofield (cricketer, born 1978), James Schofield (born 1978), cricketer
*Len Stephenson (born 1930), footballer
*Frank Swift (1913–1958), footballer
*David Tong (footballer), David Tong (born 1955), footballer
*Albert Turner (footballer, born 1901), Albert Turner (1901–1985), footballer
*Roger Uttley (born 1949), rugby player
*Ted Wade (footballer born 1901), Ted Wade (born 1901), footballer
*Dennis Wann (born 1950), footballer
*Mark Westhead (born 1975), footballer
*Daniel Whiston (born 1976), ice skater
*Derek Woodman, motorcycle racer
*Shelly Woods (born 1986), wheelchair racer
Miscellaneous
*Cynthia Lennon (born 1939), first wife of musician John Lennon
*Louisa May Merrifield (1906–1953), poisoner
*Murder of Rachel McLean, Rachel McLean (1971–1991), murder victim
References
{{Reflist
Lists of English people by location, Blackpool
People from Blackpool,
Lancashire-related lists, People From Blackpool