Bill Deedes wurde am 1 Juni 1913 in Saltwood Castle, Hythe, Kent, England, UK geboren. Er war mit Evelyn Hilary Branfoot verheiratet. Er starb am 17 August 2007 in Kent, England, UK.
He frequently used mixed metaphors when speaking, such as "We've got to nail our matchbox to the mast". These were dubbed "Billisms" by his fellow journalists.