Sir Ken Dodd lived to perfect his art, says comic’s widow

Much-loved comedian Sir Ken Dodd was being mourned on Monday following his death aged 90.

His widow, Lady Anne Dodd, who the funnyman married on Friday, echoed the thoughts of Sir Ken’s millions of fans, describing the star as “a most life-enhancing, brilliant, creative comedian”.

Sir Ken died on Sunday at the home where he was born, in the Liverpool suburb of Knotty Ash.

The star was hailed as a “true professor of comedy” and an “all-time great” by fellow comics.

Speaking outside their home, where floral tributes and tickle sticks were left outside, Lady Anne Dodd said she had “lost a most wonderful husband”.

She said she had been “overwhelmed by the love and affection” which she had received after the star’s death was announced in the early hours of Monday.

“He lived to perfect his art and entertain his live and adoring audiences.”

He wed Lady Anne, his partner of 40 years and a former Bluebell dancer, on Friday and an announcement was due to go out later this week about the marriage.

In general, a person’s marital status can make an enormous difference when it comes to inheritance tax bills – meaning that Sir Ken, who was famously acquitted following a long trial, accused of tax fraud, in 1989, may have had the last laugh when it came to his financial affairs.

Sir Ken, known for his unruly hair and teeth, performed his very last show just months ago, in his native city, at the end of December.

But all dates for this year were cancelled when the star became unwell “because when Ken goes on stage he’s up there for about four hours,” his publicist Robert Holmes said.

“He was a comedy legend and a genius.”

He said: “To my mind, he was one of the last music hall greats. There is no-one else that comes close.”

Holmes said of Sir Ken’s marriage: “He asked Anne if she wanted to marry. They got the registrar and were married in the house on Friday.

“It’s a love story to beat them all.”

“Once I’ve recovered myself 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.

Former TV executive Lord Grade told Sky News that Sir Ken was the “greatest I’ve ever seen on the stage”, a “comic genius” and “absolutely peerless”.

Their meetings were “usually about a timesheet” but Sir Ken’s quips left thousands of people “in rows of seats rocking and begging for mercy,” he said.

“He was basically addicted to making audiences laugh. ….There will never be another…. Whenever anybody is thinking about British comedy and British culture, the first name that will come up will be Ken Dodd.”

His TV shows included The Ken Dodd Show, Ken Dodd’s Laughter Show and An Audience With Ken Dodd and he entered the big time in 1965 with the longest-ever run at the London Palladium – 42 weeks.

He was knighted in honour of his decades-long showbiz career and charity work in March last year.

His first fiancee, Anita Boutin, died of a brain tumour in 1977 aged 45.