Bill Ward is working as a Tesco delivery driver amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Bill Ward
The 53-year-old actor - who starred as Charlie Stubbs in 'Coronation Street' and James Barton in 'Emmerdale' - has switched careers during the global health crisis after acting work dried up for him.
He explained: "Towards the end of May it started to become clear that the pandemic wasn't going away, and if anything it was going to get worse.
"That's when you look at the rest of the year ahead and think, 'Okay, I need to make a living this year; how are we going to do that as a family?'"
Bill has turned to giving photography talks and acting mentoring as a means of earning money during the pandemic.
The soap star also accepted a job at Tesco to ensure he has a "regular income".
He told Bristol Live: "My partner and I started doing things we wouldn't normally be able to do as much of, and for me one of those things has been giving photography talks to camera clubs over Zoom.
"I've also taught in drama schools and film schools, written for photography magazines and done a few bits of voiceover work for Channel 5.
"But on top of that you need some kind of regular income, so I've been a delivery driver for Tesco since the end of May, doing around 30 hours a week."
Bill explained that actors and actresses across the country have been forced to adapt during the pandemic.
He said: "It's been very difficult to make a living from acting this year.
"Most actors and others behind the scenes have been as equally impacted this year, and as we're all freelancers it means we can't be furloughed or receive self-employment income support scheme.
"It's a case of doing whatever you can to earn a living."
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