William Rush (actor)
William Rush | |
|---|---|
| Born | William Edward Rush 6 July 1994 Bury, Greater Manchester, England |
| Died | 17 December 2025 (aged 31) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 2004–2017 |
| Television | Waterloo Road (2009–2013) |
| Parent(s) | Debbie Rush (mother) Andrew Rush (father) |
William Edward Rush (6 July 1994 – 17 December 2025) was a British actor. He was best known for his role as Josh Stevenson in the BBC school-based drama series Waterloo Road from 2009 to 2013. In 2016, Rush appeared as a contestant on the thirteenth series of The X Factor.
Early life
William Edward Rush was born on 6 July 1994 in Bury, Greater Manchester, to Andrew and Debbie Rush. His mother is also an actress. He had an older sister and a brother.[1][2][3]
Rush attended Bamford Academy and trained at the Manchester School of Acting.[4][5]
Career
Rush started his career in Channel 4's Shameless, as a lad at an ice cream van, before being given a small part in BBC's Grange Hill playing the role of Ali Duncan. He also appeared in The Street and Drop Dead Gorgeous. From 2009 to 2012, he played Josh Stevenson in Waterloo Road and made a guest appearance the following year.[6][7]
In 2016, Rush auditioned for series 13 of The X Factor and made it through to the six-chair challenge, the third of four elimination stages.[8][9]
Death
Rush died on 17 December 2025 aged 31. His mother announced the news of his death on Instagram the following day.[10]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005, 2007 | Grange Hill | Ali Duncan[11] | Recurring role; 7 episodes |
| 2007 | Shameless[10] | Lad at Ice Cream Truck | Episode: "Dangerous Situation" |
| Drop Dead Gorgeous[12] | Lad 1 | Series 2: Episode 1 | |
| The Street[12] | Jack Taylor | Episode: "The Letter" | |
| 2009–2013 | Waterloo Road[10] | Josh Stevenson | Regular role (series 5–8); 69 episodes |
| 2013 | Casualty[10] | Stef Kelly | Episode: "Cross Roads" |
| 2014 | Coronation Street[12] | Ian | Episode #1.8361 |
| Vera[10] | Ryan Darrow | Episode: "On Harbour Street" | |
| 2016 | The X Factor[10] | Himself | Series 13 contestant |
| 2017 | Friday On My Mind[12] | George Young | TV mini-series; main cast; 2 episodes In his final television appearance |
References
- ^ Gray, Lisa. "Debbie Rush plays Anna Windass". TVNZ. Archived from the original on 29 March 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
- ^ Thornton, Lucy (9 December 2010). "Coronation Street's Debbie Rush: I lost four dress sizes in four months". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
- ^ Bourne, Dianne (6 April 2014). "Exclusive pictures: Corrie's Debbie Rush renews wedding vows at star-studded ceremony in Rochdale". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
- ^ Fitzpatrick, Katie (19 October 2011). "Waterloo Road star returns to school to relive first class act". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
- ^ Gray, Lisa (20 April 2010). "In a Rush for fame". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
- ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (21 September 2012). "'Waterloo Road' cast updates: Show exits and returns". Digital Spy. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
- ^ Denman, Amy; Hawksworth, Veronique (18 December 2025). "Waterloo Road actor and son of Coronation Street star dies age 31 - days before Christmas". MyLondon. Reach plc. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
- ^ Daly, Emma (17 September 2016). "Waterloo Road star Will Rush auditions for The X Factor". Radio Times. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
- ^ "Can Will Rush make it in music? Auditions Week 4 The X Factor UK 2016". YouTube. 17 September 2016. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f McIntosh, Steven (18 December 2025). "Waterloo Road actor William Rush dies aged 31". BBC News. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
- ^ Welsh, Daniel (17 September 2016). "'X Factor': 'Waterloo Road' Actor Will Rush Auditions For The Judges". Huffington Post. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
- ^ a b c d Segarra, Edward (18 December 2025). "William Rush, 'Waterloo Road' star and Debbie Rush's son, dies at 31". USA Today. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
External links
- William Rush at IMDb