Daily Record

Doddy’s final performanc­e

Comedian married his partner two days before his death

- AMANDA KILLELEA reporters@dailyrecor­d.co.uk

SIR Ken Dodd married the love of his life two days before his death on Sunday at the age of 90.

The legendary entertaine­r wed longterm partner Anne Jones last Friday, two weeks after returning home from hospital where he was treated for a chest infection.

Making his vows from his sick bed at his beloved home in Knotty Ash, Liverpool, he got his final wish that she should have the title Lady Anne.

Robert Holmes, the star’s close friend and publicist of 47 years, said: “Ken wanted to make her Lady Anne at last, before he left her.

“When Ken came out of hospital he was still very frail and I think he knew he was going, despite all the typically upbeat talk about getting back on stage.

“When they got home to Knotty Ash he asked Anne to marry him. They’d talked about it before, obviously – they’d been engaged for 40 years.

“But she was still surprised, although she said ‘yes’ immediatel­y.”

Local vicar and friend Julia Jesson arranged for the registrars to come to the couple’s home to officiate.

Robert said: “Ken was in bed, too frail to get up, but he spoke beautifull­y to say his vows and he even had a glass of champagne – a tickle tonic.

“Anne said she was so very proud of him because he was terribly poorly.”

Anne was with Sir Ken when he died two days later. Robert said: “He slipped away with Anne at his bedside, as she has been throughout his illness – and just as she’s been at his side for more than 40 years.

“He was one of the last music hall greats. With Ken gone, the lights have been turned out in the world of variety.

“He was a comedy legend and a genius.”

Former Bluebell Girl Lady Anne, who is in her 70s, spoke outside their home yesterday, saying: “I have lost a most wonderful husband. We first met when I was in the Ken Dodd Christmas Show in 1961 at the Manchester Opera House. “I’ve had the supreme joy and privilege of working and living with him as a partner for the past 40 years. “The world has lost a life-enhancing, brilliant, creative comedian with an operatical­ly trained voice, who just wanted to make people happy. “He lived to perfect his art and entertain his adoring audiences. “I’ve been overwhelme­d by the love and affection I’ve already received from dear friends and the public and I thank you all for being here.”

A book of condolence was opened at Liverpool Town Hall for people to pay their respects to Sir Ken, who is celebrated with a statue at Lime Street station and was knighted in 2016.

Flags in the city were flown at half mast and flowers from “all the Diddy Men” were left outside Knotty Ash Primary School.

Tributes flooded in for a giant of comedy and music. Sir Paul McCartney tweeted a picture of himself with the rest of The Beatles in the 60s, and said: “Farewell to my fellow Liverpudli­an the tattyfilar­ious Ken Dodd.

“Beloved by many in Britain and a great champion of his home city and comedy. We met him on a few occasions as The Beatles and always ended up in tears of laughter. Today it’s tears of sadness as well.”

The Archbishop of Canterbury,

I’ve had the supreme joy of working and living with him for the past 40 years

LADY ANNE

Justin Welby, tweeted: “Will miss Ken Dodd – he attended Liverpool Cathedral faithfully while I was Dean there [from 2007 to 2011]. Always friendly, always wise, always funny. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.”

Former TV boss Lord Grade called Sir Ken the “greatest I’ve ever seen on the stage” and a “comic genius”.

He said Doddy was “in the great tradition of British daft comedians – he was daft as a brush – that doesn’t mean he wasn’t highly intelligen­t”.

Actor Ricky Tomlinson, a fellow Liverpudli­an, said “everyone loved and adored” the Squire of Knotty Ash.

He added: “It is a very, very sad day. Doddy was a wonderful man. I was always the butt of his jokes – he used to call me ‘Rickety’.”

Broadcaste­r Sandi Toksvig tweeted: “Best dinner companion I ever sat next to. Don’t think I said a word. Just laughed and laughed and tried not to drown in my soup. Thank you for the genius.”

Comedian and writer David Walliams said: “Comedy flowed through him like water.”

Entertaine­r Les Dennis, also from Liverpool, wrote: “Losing Ken means losing the last music hall great.

“He was a true star who lit up a theatre. Tatty Bye Doddy.”

Sir Ken’s former scriptwrit­er John Martin said: “The loss of my friend and the greatest comedian there has ever been, is such a shock.

“His shows were renowned for lasting hours, but what people don’t realise is that even after four or five hours on stage he would then spend hours backstage talking to people and meeting fans at the stage door.

“I never saw him refuse an autograph or a chat or a photograph. He gave so much of himself to his fans.”

Perhaps most famous for his tickling sticks and the Diddy Men, Sir Ken started out as a ventriloqu­ist.

He turned profession­al in 1954 in the name Professor Yaffle Chucklebut­ty, going on to become one of Britain’s comedy greats.

Fans left flowers, cards and tickling sticks outside his home, where he was born and lived his whole life. One was Cheryl Taylor, 54, who said: “He’ll always be remembered. He’s one of us.”

Norah Button, 79, a teacher at Liverpool Theatre School, had worked with Ken since 1961.

Wiping away tears, she said: “I last saw him two weeks ago as he came out of hospital and we had the Diddy Men to cheer him on as he left. “He was a very, very intelligen­t man and very loyal. Ken was Mr Showbiz.”

A proud Liverpudli­an to the end, Sir Ken gave his final stage performanc­e in Liverpool on December 28.

Robert said: “He would have been very proud of that because he loved Liverpool and its people with all his heart. They loved him too.”

Sir Ken was admitted to Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital with a chest infection. Even in his hospital bed he was vowing to return to the stage – but sadly it was not to be.

A devoted Christian, Sir Ken always found time for prayer, both at his local church St John’s in Knotty Ash and at Liverpool Cathedral.

The Bishop of Liverpool, Rt Rev Paul Bayes, said: “His gentleness and his sustained commitment to the joy and delight of others will even outlive his jokes.

“His dedication to our city and in particular to the Knotty Ash community was never diluted by his enormous success.

“He brought joy and delight to millions, and although so many of us are in grief and sorrow here, I’m sure that there will now be a fresh gale of laughter in heaven.”

 ??  ?? HONOUR Getting his knighthood with Anne. Below, already famous in 1967
HONOUR Getting his knighthood with Anne. Below, already famous in 1967
 ??  ?? GRACIOUS Lady Anne thanks well-wishers
GRACIOUS Lady Anne thanks well-wishers
 ??  ?? DEVOTION Anne and Ken spent 40 years together. Pic: REX/Shuttersto­ck STRUGGLE Ken in hospital in January. Below, tickling sticks outside his home yesterday
DEVOTION Anne and Ken spent 40 years together. Pic: REX/Shuttersto­ck STRUGGLE Ken in hospital in January. Below, tickling sticks outside his home yesterday

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