William Russell, known as Willy Russell, was born on August 23, 1946, and is a renowned English dramatist, lyricist, and composer. He is widely celebrated for his remarkable works including Educating Rita, Shirley Valentine, and Blood Brothers.

Russell was born in Whiston, near Liverpool, where he grew up. His parents worked in a book publisher's and encouraged him to read. He left school with only one O-level in English and initially pursued a career as a ladies' hairdresser, even running his own salon. However, his passion for writing led him to explore various other occupations before establishing himself as a writer.

His breakthrough work, John, Paul, George, Ringo… & Bert, commissioned for the Liverpool Everyman Theatre, transferred to the West End and won multiple prestigious awards. Following this success, he created several stage works such as One For The Road (1976), Stags and Hens (1978), and proved his talent as a screenwriter with television films like Death of a Young Young Man, Daughters of Albion, and Our Day Out.

The play Educating Rita, commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company, premiered in 1980 and became a modern classic. Shirley Valentine followed in 1986, earning critical acclaim and awards, including a Tony Best Actress award for its lead. Both plays were adapted into successful films.

His musical Blood Brothers was a massive success, winning the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical and enjoying an extensive run in the West End and on Broadway. Our Day Out was also adapted for stage and became extremely popular.

In addition to his theatrical works, Russell penned a novel titled The Wrong Boy and released an album Hoovering The Moon in 2004.

Willy Russell remains a celebrated writer, with his works continually produced worldwide. The Liverpool John Moores University houses the Willy Russell Archive, a comprehensive collection of his work.