A tribute to Sir Ken Dodd OBE has been unveiled.
The Grand Theatre Blackpool revealed the tribute to the Knotty Ash-born comedy legend - who was a founding member of The Friends of The Grand - on Friday, July 22. The sculpture of Sir Ken, who died at the age of 90 in March 2018, will be housed in the theatre's dress circle.
Sir Ken appeared regularly at the Lancashire theatre from the beginning of his entertainment career in the 1950s up until his final live shows in 2017. He also helped save the Grade II listed building from demolition in the 1970s.
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It was sculpted by Graham Ibbeson, who worked on it throughout 2020 and 2021. It was unveiled on Friday by Sir Ken's wife Lady Anne Dodd, comedians Mick Miller, Ricky Tomlinson and Roy Walker, as well as Blackpool Grand Theatre Chief Executive, Adam Knight and Friends of The Grand Chairman, John Grady.
The comedians and Lady Anne all held feather dusters - which Sir Ken called the "tickling stick" and became a much-loved part of his routine - as they posed with the sculpture.
Lady Anne said: “I am truly honoured that the Friends of the Grand want to commemorate Ken in this way and I felt very privileged to be invited to Graham’s studio, along with members of the Friends Committee, to see this wonderful sculpture evolve throughout the creative process. Graham is a brilliant artist and my only input was to ‘tickle up’ Ken’s hair a bit! I am thrilled to bits that Ken will now be back at The Grand – a place I know he loved to be.”
Friends of The Grand Chairman, John Grady, said: “ Sir Ken was a very important founding member of The Friends and an invaluable supporter of The Grand Theatre, offering his time and talent on numerous occasions to help raise the funds to save the theatre from demolition, back in the 1970s. Every year since the theatre reopened, he performed on our stage spreading joy and laughter and we wanted to officially recognise his incredible contribution to The Grand and the world of theatre as a whole.”
Sculptor Graham Ibbeson added: “To me, Ken Dodd was an absolute legend, and the last of the great comedians of an era that made the transition from music hall to variety theatre and on to television. He was in his element on a stage.
"He loved live audiences, and those audiences loved him back. He gave me the honour of unveiling my Laurel & Hardy Sculpture (Ulverston) in 2009 and told the audience that I was ‘eyeing him up for my next sculpture’, which brought a roar of laughter from the crowd.
"It wasn’t the next sculpture, but I was truly honoured to be asked to sculpt one of my absolute heroes in 2020, I just hope I did you justice Sir Ken! ”
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