At the age of 13 he made his stage debut on Blackpool's South Pier. After leaving school, John Inman joined a gentleman's outfitters in Blackpool and then joined Austin Reed in London. He later moved to London and left Austin Reed to become a scenic artist at a theatre in Crewe so he could earn his Equity Card. Inman made his West End debut in the 1960s when he appeared in Ann Veronica. Inman made his television debut in the sitcom Two In Clover in 1970. In 1972, David Croft asked him to play a part in a Comedy Playhouse pilot called Are You Being Served?. Following the pilot of Are You Being Served?, the first series was broadcast in 1973. Inman played the camp Mr Wilberforce Claybourne Humphries, whose catchphrase "I'm free!" soon entered popular culture. Inman came under attack by gay rights groups for his stereotypical portrayal of a homosexual, although both Inman and David Croft stated that the character was "just a mother's boy" and his sexual orientation was never explicitly stated. Are You Being Served? ran for ten series until it finished in 1985. Inman's portrayal of Mr Humphries won him the BBC TV Personality of the Year in 1976 and he was voted the funniest man on television by TV Times readers. From 1980 to 1981, Inman had played Mr Humphries in the Australian version of Are You Being Served?. In 1992, five of the Are You Being Served? cast, including Inman, reunited in character for the sitcom Grace & Favour, which ran for twelve episodes until 1993. During the 13-year run of Are You Being Served?. In 1989, he made a cameo appearance in the film The Tall Guy and in 1999 appeared in French & Saunders. Inman also toured with his own shows. After the end of Are You Being Served?, John Inman, who appeared in over 40 pantomimes, became one the nations best known pantomime dames and appeared on stage across the UK. In 2001, Inman was admitted to Paddington's St Mary's Hospital after suffering breathing difficulties and spent three days in intensive care [6]. In 2004, Inman appeared in Doctors and Revolver. On 27 December 2005, Inman entered in a civil partnership at Westminster Register Office with his partner of 35 years, Ron Lynch. In December 2004, Inman was forced to cancel an appearance in a pantomime as he was suffering from the Hepatitis A infection. Following this, he never worked again.