How tickled Tim Vine is! Comedian unveils Ken Dodd Bar at Grand Opera House

In an interview with YorkMix, Tim Vine said Ken Dodd was one of his heroes.

“He was probably the last of those kind of greats,” he told us.

Doddy and his joke telling style was a big influence on Tim – and he even remembered one of his jokes for us: “Harold’s at the Battle of Hastings with an arrow sticking out of his eye and all his mates are going, ‘maybe try blowing your nose…’”

So there couldn’t have been a better person to officially open the Ken Dodd Bar at the Grand Opera House.

Our Favourite Visitor

He did the deed on Saturday before his Sunset Milk Idiot stand up show.

Tim said: “It’s an honour to be asked to unveil this plaque because Ken was one of my absolute comedy heroes.”

The plaque reads:

The Ken Dodd Bar. Sir Ken Dodd OBE 1927-2018. Legend Of Live Entertainment. Our Favourite Visitor

Sir Ken performed at the theatre regularly since the 1960s, and it was a favourite of his.

He told YorkMix in 2016: “I am what they call in showbusiness ‘stage struck’ by the theatre.

“It’s just the right size for a great show. I love it, and I love the people who go to it.”

He was awarded an OBE in 1982 and was dubbed a knight by the Duke of Cambridge in 2017 – the year of his 90th birthday – in recognition of both his comedic legacy and his charity work.

Ken’s last performance at the theatre was on 10 July 2016 with his Happiness Show. He died in March aged 90.

Lady Anne Dodd, the widow of Sir Ken and long-time friend and scriptwriter Barry Reeves also attended.