RIP Bill Kenwright.

I was saddened and slightly shocked to hear that Producer Bill Kenwright has died.

Bill was known as one of the UK theatre industry’s most prolific and successful producers of both plays and musicals. His long-running hits included more than 10,000 performances of Willy Russell’s musical Blood Brothers.

The producer’s death was announced this afternoon in a statement from his partner Jenny Seagrove and daughter Lucy Kenwright, which said Bill had passed away “peacefully” on Monday October 23, following “a long battle with illness”.

I’m thinking of his friends – particularly Julius Greene – and his family.

RIP Bill.