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Street renamed after Sir Ken Dodd

Lynette HorsburghNorth West
News imageMartin Bostock Photography Kari Singleton, with long brown hair wearing a black dress holding a multi-coloured tickle stick, Lady Anne Dodd holding a giant pair of scissors about to cut a blue ribbon, with Spencer Phillips with grey hair and beard in a blue suit and orange tie and and Jill Carruthers with brown hair and wearing a white dress with blue and orange stripes holding a street sign which reads: "Sir Ken Dodd Avenue". They are all standing outside Showtown museum and are smiling.Martin Bostock Photography
The street was officially renamed by the star's widow Lady Anne Dodd (pictured second from left)

A street in Blackpool has been renamed in honour of comedian Sir Ken Dodd.

Adelaide Street West on the resort's Golden Mile has become Sir Ken Dodd Avenue in tribute to the Liverpool entertainer, who died in 2018 aged 90.

The new name was unveiled by the star's widow Lady Anne Dodd, who said she was "thrilled" because of her husband's long association with the town.

It coincides with a Ken Dodd exhibition at Blackpool's Showtown museum.

A 'plumpshus honour'

Sir Ken Dodd Avenue travels from Bank Hey Street and past Showtown's front doors down to the Promenade after the museum lodged an official request with Blackpool Council.

Lady Dodd said: "I was so delighted and thrilled when I first heard that there would be a street called Sir Ken Dodd Avenue after my wonderful husband.

"I know he would say he was immensely discomknockerated at this tattyfilarious and plumpshus honour.

"He always said Blackpool was the 'Showtown' of Britain so it is especially appropriate that the street on which it stands should be renamed after him."

She added: "And of course, it's just around the corner from his particularly beloved theatres The Opera House and The Grand.

"This is all a very thoughtful act of 'happiness' to me."

News imageMartin Bostock Photography Lady Anne Dodd with a pale pink dress and jacket suit with a wax effigy of Ken Dodd with a Diddyman from Tussauds in Blackpool and two ticklesticks. Lady Dodd who has blond bobbed hair is smiling as she touches the tickles sticks. Martin Bostock Photography
A whole series of Ken Dodd artefacts are on display at Happiness! The Ken Dodd Exhibition including a wax effigy of the comic with a Diddyman and tickle sticks

For over six decades, audiences packed Blackpool's theatres to see Doddy's famously long shows.

From switching on the Blackpool Illuminations to helping save Blackpool Grand Theatre in the 1970s and opening the famous Comedy Carpet in 2011, his connection with Blackpool remained strong throughout his life.

In 2022, a sculpture of Sir Dodd was unveiled by Lady Dodd at the Grand Theatre complete with his trademark tickling stick and one of his Diddy Men.

News imageImage dated 1 Jan 1986 of comic Sir Ken Dodd. He has black hair wearing a grey suit and blue and pink striped shirt holding a cream, orange and pale yellow tickle stick next to his cheek. He has a pointed finger pressed on his cheek and is sticking his tongue out. He stands in front of a blue curtain.
Sir Ken Dodd died in 2018 aged 90

Spencer Phillips, chairman of the Blackpool Heritage and Museum Trust, which operates Showtown, said: "There couldn't be a more fitting tribute to Sir Ken Dodd than to give him his own avenue right outside Showtown.

"Ken's relationship with Blackpool was extraordinary. He brought happiness to millions here over the decades and played such an important part in the town's entertainment heritage.

"We're absolutely delighted that visitors arriving at Showtown can now quite literally walk down Sir Ken Dodd Avenue and into an exhibition celebrating his incredible life, career and connection with Blackpool."

He added: "It's a very fitting way to honour a true legend, and one that would, I'm sure, have left Doddy thoroughly tickled!"

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