Twins living identical lives for 82 years

Twins living identical lives for 82 yearsImage caption, The brothers are season ticket holders at Aston VillaByMegan JonesPublished24 June 2026For twins Bill and John Bowdler, it is not just their appearance which is identical, it is their entire lives. For the past 82 years, they have lived in the same Birmingham house where they were born, worked the same jobs, dressed alike every day and supported the same football team - Aston Villa.Now they have taken it one step further, by having the same eye surgery, on the same eye, at the same clinic. They joked it was a case of "buy one, get one free", adding they had always been a "close family". Image caption, Twins who do everything together have had the same cataract surgeryThe brothers have spent almost their entire lives side by side, apart from an "unusual" period in secondary school where they were put in different classes. Their longest separation came when John Bowdler was in hospital for about 14 weeks, having his appendix removed. But other than those two occasions, they have been in sync. They left school "on a Friday" in 1960 and by Monday they had both started work, joining the same wholesale distribution business on Rothesey Street, Birmingham.They stayed there for 32 years but when the company went into liquidation they changed careers together, retraining as postmen, a job they did for more than 17 years, working adjacent areas. Image caption, The brothers spend their days playing bingo and tenpin bowling, as well as watching football and televisionAway from work, their lives are just as closely linked, and have been since their mother started dressing them the same. "It has carried on from there," they added. Whoever is up earliest, usually John Bowdler, picks the outfit and the other brother will match it before they make their way downstairs to have a coffee with some toast. As well as spending time with family members, they spend their days playing bi...