 He subsequently spent a further four years in the Merchant Navy before settling in London, where he worked as a banksman on the construction of the Victoria line.He then trained as an actor at the East 15 Acting School in Loughton, Essex.Armitage had three spells as the character Bill Webster on "Coronation Street", appearing in the role in 1984–1985 (for six months), then from 1995 to 1997 and again from 2006 to 2011.