‘He brought joy to millions’

BRANDISHING A tickling stick and greeted by his Diddy Men, Sir Ken Dodd had promised to resume his stage appearances as soon as possible when he left hospital last month.

“Once I’ve recovered I’ll get back to doing the job, which is the only job I’ve ever had,” he said at the time. “While I was in here, I wrote some new jokes, so it should be all right.”

The Diocese of Liverpool said it would be announcing details of Sir Ken’s funeral at a later stage. The Bishop of Liverpool Paul Bayes said: “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.”