BILL Kenwright and Jenny Seagrove had a love story that spanned more than three decades – yet they never married.
Jenny, 66, said the couple got together when they were a little older but she knew he was the love of her life.
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Tragically, the Everton chairman “passed away peacefully” yesterday after a long battle with illness. He was 78.
Jenny today shared a photo of Kenwright on X (formerly Twitter), saying: “I lost my darling Bill last night.”
The couple first sparked up their relationship in 1994 – when Jenny was in her 30s, and Kenwright in his 40s.
They’d both been married previously and he had one daughter, Lucy.
And while Kenwright was always dubbed a private man, Jenny would open up about their relationship – and once revealed why they never tied the knot.
She spoke highly of her long-term partner and, in 2017, said he had the “biggest heart of anybody I’ve ever met”.
Jenny told the Telegraph at the time: “Bill’s a force of nature, larger than life. It’s a privilege to live with him.”
The actress, who played Jo Mills in BBC’s series Judge John Deed, said the pair always made a good team.
And while they had put the years in, and saw themselves together for the rest of their lives, Jenny said they never wanted to wed.
She said their past marriages had played a part in that.
Jenny said: “We’d both been married, neither of them particularly happy.
“If we ever did, the fear is we’d feel differently but in a bad way. Would I suddenly feel trapped?
“And yet, it’s been almost a quarter of a century and I’m with the man I love, someone who’s my best friend. Illogical, isn’t it?”
The pair had once appeared together as contestants on a charity edition of ITV1’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, winning £1,000.
They also appeared together on a celebrity edition of the BBC’s Pointless in 2014.
Jenny, Kenwright’s daughter, and other loved ones today shared the devastating news of his death.
In a joint statement they wrote: “Bill was driven by his passions and devoted his life to them; his deep love of theatre, film, music and his beloved Everton, and the families they created.
“He impacted the lives of thousands, whether that be through the launching of careers or his unending loyalty, generosity and unfaltering friendship and support.
“In a multi-award-winning career spanning six decades, Bill produced over 500 West End, Broadway, UK touring and international theatre productions, films and music albums. His impact on the arts industry has been profound.
“During his time as majority shareholder and Chairman of Everton FC, Bill led the Club through a period of unprecedented change in English football.
“We will remember him with huge love and admiration – the shows will of course go on, as he would have wished, and his towering legacy will continue.”
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