William's first wife Anna Cropper, second wife Sara Roache, and sons Linus and James Roache have all appeared in Coronation Street. He won a Lifetime Achievement Award at the British Soap Awards in 2000, and was awarded the Member of the British Empire the following year. Sara, his second wife of more than 30 years, died suddenly in February 2009. Bill's real life son James portrayed him in the 2010 drama The Road to Coronation Street, documenting his father's work on the early days on the programme.