Kevin Kennedy's Journey from Coronation Street to Recovery Champion
Kevin Kennedy, the actor who portrayed the beloved character Curly Watts on Coronation Street for two decades, has faced significant personal challenges off-screen. His battle with alcohol addiction was so severe that it nearly cost him his life, but today, he stands as a beacon of hope for others struggling with similar issues.
Curly Watts: A Corrie Legacy
Curly Watts made his debut on the ITV soap in the summer of 1983, quickly becoming a fan favourite. He was best known for his romantic misfortunes and a series of unsuccessful marriages. His marriage to Rovers Return barmaid Raquel, played by Sarah Lancashire, ended after just five rocky years. Later, Curly found happiness with police officer Emma Taylor, portrayed by Angela Lonsdale, and the couple left Weatherfield for Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 2003 following a perjury incident. Sadly, their marriage did not last, and Curly returned briefly in a 2010 DVD special, A Knight's Tale, where he revealed he was single again.
A Harrowing Health Battle
Away from the cobbles, Kevin Kennedy grappled with a debilitating alcohol addiction. He has been clean and sober for an impressive 27 years. In a 2013 interview with The Mirror, Kennedy confessed to adding shots of rum to his coffee and consuming a bottle of vodka before arriving on the Coronation Street set. He would then secretly drink more in his dressing room to cope with the demands of filming.
"If it wasn't for Coronation Street, I would be dead," Kennedy stated. "If I were lucky, the drink would have killed me straight away by a fall or by walking in front of a bus. If I were unlucky, it would have taken everything from me first, kept me alive for another 10 years, and then killed me."
Founding a Recovery Charity
After leaving Coronation Street in 2003, Kennedy channelled his experiences into founding the Kennedy Street Foundation, an addiction recovery charity. This organisation aims to support individuals battling addictive and mental health disorders, drawing from Kennedy's own two-decade-long recovery journey.
The foundation offers a national helpline staffed by trained coaches in active recovery, along with free virtual recovery coaching, support, signposting, and workshops. Kennedy told the Manchester Evening News, "The Kennedy Street Foundation is my passion; all we want to do is help people who find themselves in the desperate situation I was in 22 years ago." He emphasised the need for fundraising to assist every caller on their Road2Recovery.
Life Beyond Acting
Since his departure from Coronation Street 23 years ago, Kennedy has diversified his career. He wrote and produced the programme Spanish Capers, which aired from 2005 to 2007. The 64-year-old Manchester native also took on roles in Ben Elton's musical We Will Rock You as Pop, and made television appearances in Blue Murder, Doctors (both in 2006), and Holby City (in 2017).
In 2019, he returned to the small screen as Clyde in an episode of Mrs Brown's Boys. Kennedy has also performed on stage, playing Dennis Dupree in Rock of Ages from 2018 to 2019, and His Royal Highness, King Curlington in a County Durham pantomime of Cinderella in 2024. He is set to appear in the UK tour of The Picture of Dorian Gray – A New Musical from October 2026 to April 2027, taking on the role of Mr. Issacs.
Musical Talents and Legacy
Kennedy is also an accomplished musician, having been signed to Simon Cowell's record label. He performed in America alongside legends like Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson as part of the band Paris Valentinos, which included Smiths bassist Andy Rourke. Reflecting on this experience, he told The Guardian, "As soon as I heard Johnny play the guitar, I thought: this is special, what a privilege to be here for this."
His ongoing work in entertainment and recovery advocacy showcases a remarkable transformation from his days as Curly Watts. Kennedy's story serves as an inspiration, highlighting the power of resilience and the importance of support in overcoming addiction.
