Hello, I'm Kirstie Young, and this is a podcast from the Desert Island Discs Archive.

For rights reasons, we've had to shorten the music.

The program was originally broadcast in 1998, and the presenter was Sue Lolly. My costaway this week is a theatre producer. Born and bred in Liverpool, he went to the same school as Paul McCartney and George Harrison, sang with a group which made some highly forgettable records and eventually became an actor in Coronation Street.

His producing career took off when he found shows that put popular television stars in front of

provincial audiences.

Gradually he moved into the West End and a series of distinguished successes, including

Blood Brothers dancing at Lunisa, stepping out and mother courage.

His instinct is populist, but his taste is wide-ranging.

Hard-working and admired by his colleagues, including Sir Peter Hall,

he remains dismissive of his achievements.

You never get over your own insecurities he says I genuinely feel I've done nothing he

is Bill Kenwright that's very difficult to believe of a man who produced 500 West End shows

you know you're a millionaire many times over.

I've produced 500 West End shows. I've produced... But you don't really feel insecure.

Honest to God I do. I think most people are. Are you not insecure sitting back there I'm totally insecure.

But you have so much to be secure about?

Yeah but that's nothing to do with it is it as my psychiatrist told me very often during

the years I went to see him. But is it because you haven't really done what you wanted to do originally?

Not at all. Not at all. No, it really isn't that because I'm going to do what I want to do.

Which is what? The winning goal in an effort final breaking my neck as the ball comes over from the left

wing.

If only in your dreams.

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