Coronation Street fans will recognise a heartbreaking date on the calendar this week, as Bill Tarmey would have turned 80, had he not died of a sudden heart attack nine years ago.Tarmey lit up the screen as Jack Duckworth on the soap for the best part of three decades, known for his high-jinks with onscreen wife Vera Duckworth, played by Liz Dawn.In honour of the poignant anniversary, Daily Star has taken a look back at Tarmey's final years, and the many tributes that were paid to him in the wake of his death.Born in Lancashire, Tarmey first started working in construction, landing a job in his step-dad's building company.Eventually, he left construction behind to pursue a career as an entertainer, working as a nightclub singer with side.
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