Kenneth William Farrington is a retired English actor whose career spanned television, film, and stage. Born on April 18, 1936, in Dulwich, London, he became widely known for playing Billy Walker in Coronation Street, the wayward son of Rovers Return landlady Annie Walker. Farrington joined the soap in 1961 and appeared on and off until 1984, making Billy one of his defining roles.
Beyond Coronation Street, Farrington built a varied screen career. He appeared in television series including The Saint, The Avengers, Redcap, Z-Cars, All Creatures Great and Small, and Heartbeat. His film credits included One Way Pendulum, Robbery, Submarine X-1, and Party Party.
In 2004, Farrington took on another major soap role as Tom King in Emmerdale. The wealthy, ruthless businessman became a central figure in the King family storylines and remained on the show until 2006. Tom’s murder on Christmas Day became one of the soap’s notable whodunnit plots.
Farrington largely stepped back from acting after Emmerdale, though he made occasional later appearances, including the 2020 short film Dinosaur. His career is especially remembered for two influential soap characters: Billy Walker in Coronation Street and Tom King in Emmerdale.
