ACTOR
Dennis Waterman
28 archived facts 2 topics 1 source Last reviewed Oct 2026
All facts (28)
- #001
Dennis Waterman was mercilessly lampooned in Little Britain (2003) as a dwarf who keeps losing contracts because he insists on singing the theme song of any show he is offered. Waterman got his revenge at the Comic Relief Does Little Britain: Live (2007) charity performance, appearing as a surprise guest and interrupting Walliams and Lucas as they performed a version of their Dennis Waterman sketch. Taking the stage, Waterman complained that he does not have a high voice, is not "a midget," and has not sung or written the theme tune of every show he has been in. To apologise, Walliams and Lucas joined him in performing one of Waterman's songs.
- #002
Dennis Waterman was a passionate fan of Chelsea Football Club in London. Ironically, as his Minder (1979) character Terry McCann, he had to play a supporter of Fulham Football Club, Chelsea's local rivals in London.
- #003
In 1983, Dennis Waterman had a relationship with the actress Amanda Redman.
- #004
After a two-year battle with lung cancer, Dennis Waterman died in a hospital in Spain on 8 May 2022, at the age of 74.
- #005
Dennis Waterman's father was an amateur boxer and had all of his sons box. His older brother Ken first started boxing Dennis when he was three years old. At the age of ten, Dennis joined the Caius Boxing Club. Another older brother, Peter, was a heavyweight boxing champion.
- #006
Dennis Waterman once filmed an episode of Minder (1979) at Stamford Bridge, then the home of Chelsea F.C. Unfortunately, the story meant that his character was actually thrown out of the stadium!
- #007
Dennis Waterman advertised Barbour motorcycle clothing on a Hesketh motorcycle.
- #008
Dennis Waterman became a grandfather for the first time at the age of 63 when his daughter Hannah Waterman gave birth to his grandson Jack Higginson in June 2011 with her partner Huw Higginson.
- #009
In 2012, Dennis Waterman caused controversy when he admitted to hitting his third wife.
- #010
Dennis Waterman's older brother was the boxer Peter Waterman.
- #011
Dennis Waterman became a father for the first time at the age of 27 when his girlfriend [later his second ex-wife] Patricia Maynard gave birth to their daughter Hannah Elizabeth Waterman, also known as Hannah Waterman, on 22 July 1975.
- #012
Dennis Waterman was the younger brother of Joyce (b. 1927), Vera (b. 1929), Kenneth (b. 1931), Alan (b. 1933), Peter (b. 1934), Stella (b. 1937), Norma (b. 1941) and Myra (b. 1942).
- #013
Dennis Waterman appeared in two small stage roles during the Royal Shakespeare Company's 1960 season.
- #014
Dennis Waterman was educated at the Corona Academy, which was founded by Rona Knight.
- #015
Dennis Waterman was the son of Harry (1906-1987) and Rosina (née Saunders) Waterman (1905-1978).
- #016
After suffering heart and leg problems, Dennis Waterman gave up smoking and drinking a few years before his death.
- #017
Dennis Waterman's father worked as a ticket collector for British Railways at Clapham Junction railway station.
- #018
After the series ended, Dennis Waterman remained good friends with his Sweeney co-star John Thaw, though the chance to work together again never arose. Waterman visited Thaw shortly before his death from a terminal illness.
- #019
Dennis Waterman managed the Dennis Waterman XI football team.
- #020
In January 1991, following his second drink-driving conviction in four years, Dennis Waterman was banned from driving for three years.
- #021
Dennis Waterman became a father for the second time at the age of 30 when his second (now former) wife, Patricia Maynard, gave birth to their daughter Julia Martha Waterman on 14 January 1979.
- #022
Waterman says that one of the unusual jobs he took while unemployed was doing time and motion studies on refuse collectors who worked alongside him, calculating how long it took them to empty the bins and clean each street. He would let them drop everything they wanted as long as they reached a bar by 11.30.
- #023
He made a solo album titled For They Pleasure.
- #024
His first solo album was For They Pleasure.
- #025
As a child, he went to America for the series Fair Exchange.
- #026
He studied at the Corona Stage School.
- #027
He was born on Clapham Common.
- #028
His father was a railway worker.
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