Alan Bleasdale: Bernard Hill was a natural to play Yosser Hughes

The drama about the disintegrating lives of unemployed Liverpool construction workers made Hill a household name with Yosser Hughes’ despairing cry of “gizza job” becoming a national catchphrase.

“I knew what was happening and I knew it would bring him the success he deserved,” Bleasdale said.

He first saw the Mancunian performing at the Liverpool Everyman Theatre in Willy Russell’s John, Paul, George, Ringo and Bert.

Bleasdale said: “He was a sensational John Lennon and, later, an astonishing Macbeth at the Everyman.

“I was desperate to work with him and, as I was writing Boys From The Blackstuff, I knew the part had to be an extraordinary character who had to be mesmeric and dangerous.

“I could only think of one person – it was always Bernard Hill.”