Champions Wins Big at TEAA Awards
The UK’s leading entertainment booking agency, Champions Music and Entertainment is celebrating more success.
It scooped the Agency of the Year award at The Entertainment Agents’ Association’s Agents Ball, with its long-term client William Roache OBE honoured with a lifetime recognition award.
Hosted at Athena Leicester on Tuesday 25th March, the inaugural TEAA national awards proved to be a huge success, with winners in 12 different categories, including the Loughborough-based firm Champions.
Best known for his role as Ken Barlow in beloved ITV soap Coronation Street, Roache has been a regular on our television screens since 1960 and has been represented by Champions for over 20 years.
His contributions to the UK entertainment industry throughout his illustrious career were acknowledged with the Lifetime Recognition Award, which he was presented with by Coronation Street co-star Claire Sweeney and longtime friend and international recording star Tony Christie.
Roache said: “It is an immense privilege to receive this award and I couldn’t be happier to have my hard work for the last 60+ years recognised in such a way.
“If you’d said to me back when Coronation Street began all those decades ago that I’d still have a prominent role on the show in 2025, I would never have believed you!
“It’s incredible to think of how many amazing actors I’ve worked alongside over the years, and I am eternally grateful to all of them for being incredible co-stars.
“I’d also like to thank John Hayes and the team at Champions, who have always been on hand to offer support with anything I’ve needed. The agency is fantastic and I owe a lot to it.”
Sweeney added: “I am very honoured to have worked with Bill Roache and to have shared a storyline with him. He is a legend and part of the fabric of British television.
“Watching him work and learning from him has been brilliant; he never drops a line, he’s so aware and ahead of everyone and everything.
“Bill is a kind, generous man who couldn’t be more deserving of this award.”
Champions’ CEO John Hayes added: “We have looked after Bill for over 25 years, and he is one of the nicest and best celebrities that we have had the pleasure of representing.
“We’re proud to have worked with him for such a long time and are even prouder of the continued success he enjoys.
“Long may it continue – congratulations, Bill!”
In addition to its client’s success, Champions picked up an award for Agency of the Year, reinforcing its standing as a leading talent agency.
There was also recognition for one of its employees, with senior music and entertainment executive Joe Burton named among the finalists in the Agency Employee of the Year category.
On an evening of celebration, hosted by ITV Central News presenter Steve Clamp, agencies from around the country came together to showcase the best events, choreography, and venues, among other awards.
Entertainment was provided by Champions’ own Richard Jones – the only magician to win Britain’s Got Talent – international comedian Kev Orkian, Jools Holland’s Jamhouse regular Adrian Dixon, the electrifying Ibiza In Symphony, Britain’s Got Talent 2024’s Golden Buzzer Taryn Charles, and Opulence’s electrifying combination of violin and cello, before DJ Getti’s floor-fillers rounded the night off.
Roache and Jones are two of a deep roster of Champions’ clients, which also includes 2005 World Snooker Championship winner Shaun Murphy, Rugby World Cup winner Jason Robinson OBE, and cricket legend Matthew Hoggard MBE.
To find out more about The Entertainment Agents Association visit teaa.uk
