Lancashire is famous for many things, including its diverse landscape, history, and food. It is also the home or birthplace of many celebrities, as there are many famous people from Lancashire. So, who are some of Lancashire’s celebrities? Here is our list of some of the most famous people from Lancashire.
Lancashire Celebrities: Film and Television (A-F)
There are multiple famous people from Lancashire who have appeared in film or television, along with those who have roles behind the camera. Here are some Lancashire celebrities from film and television.
- Sam Aston: Chesney Brown in Coronation Street is played by Sam Aston, who was born in Burnley in 1993. Aston began playing Chesney in 2003.
- Alex Bain: Alex Bain plays Simon Barlow in the long-standing soap opera Coronation Street. He has played the role since 2001. Bain was born in Blackburn, Lancashire.
- Zoe Ball: Radio and television presenter Zoe Ball, daughter of presenter Johnny Ball, was born in Blackpool in 1970.
- Roy Barraclough: British actor Roy Barraclough was born in Preston in 1935 and died in 2017. He is best known for playing Alec Gilroy in Coronation Street.
- Jimmy Clitheroe: Comic entertainer Jimmy Clitheroe was born in Clitheroe, Lancashire, in 1921 and died in Blackpool in 1973. The 4’ 2” entertainer was best known for his BBC Radio programme, The Clitheroe Kid.
- Lucy Fallon: Unless you are an avid Coronation Street fan, you may not have heard of Lucy Fallon from Blackpool, who played Bethany Platt from 2015 to 2020.
- Dame Gracie Fields: Singer, actress, and comedian Gracie Fields was born in Rochdale, Lancashire. The film and music hall star was one of the world’s highest-paid actresses in 1937.
- George Formby: Entertainer George Formby, known for playing the ukulele, was from Wigan, Lancashire.
Film and Television Stars from Lancashire H-Z
- Russell Harty: One of the most famous people from Blackburn, Lancashire, is the late chat show presenter Russell Harty.
- Jane Horrocks: Actress Jane Horrocks, known for her comedic performances, is from Rawtenstall.
- John Inman: Preston-born Inman was known for playing Mr Humphries in ‘Are you Being Served?’
- Barbara Knox: Best known for playing Rita Sullivan in Coronation Street, in which she first appeared in 1962. She was born in Oldham.
- Sir Ian McKellen: The film and television actor is one of Burnley’s most famous stars.
- Ian McShane: Lovejoy star Ian McShane is from Blackburn.
- Eric Morecambe: Born as John Eric Bartholomew, Eric Morecambe used his middle name and birthplace to form his stage name.
- Amy Nuttall: Born in Blackburn, Nuttall is known for her roles in Emmerdale and Downtown Abbey. She was also a competitor in Celebrity MasterChef.
- Nick Park: The Wallace and Gromit creator is from Preston, Lancashire.
- Steve Pemberton: Blackburn-born actor and comedian Steve Pemberton is best known as a member of The League of Gentlemen.
- Daniel Whiston: Professional ice dancer Daniel Whiston, famous for his appearances on ‘Dancing on Ice,’ is from Blackpool.
- Michael Winterbottom: Director Michael Winterbottom is from Blackburn. He is known for films such as 24 Hour Party People, Wonderland, and Welcome to Sarajevo.
- Victoria Wood: Born in Prestwich in 1953, Victoria Wood is one of Lancashire’s most famous comedians. Although she is best known for her comedic work, she was also a talented actress, singer, composer, screenwriter, pianist, and producer. Sadly, Wood died in 2016.
Famous People from Lancashire in the Music Industry
It is not just stars of the screen who were born in the county. Here are some of the most famous people from Lancashire in the music industry.
- Eddie Calvert: Trumpeter Eddie Calvert was born in Preston. He was at the height of his career in the 1950s when he had a series of hits.
- Kathleen Ferrier: Opera singer Kathleen Ferrier was from Higher Walton, between Blackburn and Preston.
- Kevin Simm: Liberty X member Kevin Simm was born in Chorley, Lancashire.
- Robert Smith: The Cure frontman Robert Smith is from Blackpool.
- Jessica Taylor: Jessica Taylor is another Liberty X member from Lancashire, as she was born in Preston.
Famous People from Lancashire: Sports
There are also famous people from Lancashire in the world of sports. Here is a selection of some of Lancashire’s sporting greats.
- Bill Beaumont: A former rugby union player from Chorley, Lancashire.
- Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff: International cricketer Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff was born in Preston in 1977.
- Sir Tom Finney: Another famous sportsman from Lancashire is the late footballer Sir Tom Finney who played for Preston North End and England.
- Carl Fogarty: One of the most successful superbike racers of all time is Carl Fogarty from Blackburn.
- Tyson Fury: Currently one of the most famous UK boxers, Fury lives in Morecambe with his wife, Paris, and their seven children.
Other Famous People from Lancashire
- Brian Finch: Scriptwriter Brian Finch was born in Standish and died in Wigan. Both locations are in Lancashire.
- Lisa Goodwin-Allen: Celebrity chef Lisa Goodwin-Allen is from Lancaster, and she is the head chef at Northcote in the village of Langho in the Ribble Valley, Lancashire.
- Wayne Hemmingway: British designer Wayne Hemmingway was born in Morecambe.
- William Lyons: The co-founder of Jaguar cars was born in Blackpool, Lancashire.
- Myles Standish: One of the most famous people from Lancashire historically is Myles Standish, a military officer and colonist who was from Chorley.
- Sir Henry Tate: Another famous person from Chorley, Lancashire, was Sir Henry Tate. He was a sugar merchant and philanthropist who established the Tate Gallery in London.
Celebrities with Links to Lancashire
- Arthur Conan Doyle: Originally from Edinburgh, the Sherlock Holmes writer was educated at Stonyhurst College in Clitheroe.
- Vernon Kay: Presenter and television presenter Vernon Kay is from Bolton, which was formerly part of Lancashire. However, it is now classed as Greater Manchester.
- Peter Kay: Like Vernon, comedian Peter Kay is from Bolton. Despite sharing a surname, the two are not related.
- JRR Tolkien: The Lord of the Rings writer was born in South Africa. His link to the county is studying at Stonyhurst College near Clitheroe, Lancashire.
- Marcus Wareing: Celebrity chef Marcus Wareing is from Southport, which was formerly part of Lancashire but is now in Merseyside.
- Jason Queally: Although cyclist Jason Queally was born in Staffordshire, he then grew up in the village of Caton near Lancaster in Lancashire.
We hope you have enjoyed reading our list of famous people from Lancashire. If you know of any other Lancashire celebrities that you would like added to the list, then feel free to mention them in the comments section.