Plan submitted for Roy Hudd statue outside theatre

21 hours ago

Alice CunninghamSuffolk

News image — People would be able to sit on the bench next to the statue on Roy Hudd

The Roy Hudd Statue Appeal An artist's impression of how the statue of Roy Hudd could look if approved. It shows a bronze life size statue of Hodd sitting on a wooden bench in front of a property. — People would be able to sit on the bench next to the statue on Roy Hudd

Plans for a statue of actor and comedian Roy Hudd outside a theatre have been submitted.

Hudd, who lived near Stowmarket in Suffolk, hosted BBC Radio 2's The News Huddline for 26 years and also starred in Coronation Street before he died in 2020.

The memorial was created by local sculptor Sean Hedges-Quinn after a fundraising campaign.

Planning permission for the statue has been submitted to West Suffolk Council which, if approved, would see the statue placed just next to the Theatre Royal in Bury St Edmunds.

Robbie Jack Roy Hudd as Henry Ormanroyd in the production of JB Priestley's When We Are Married at London's Garrick Theatre. He is wearing a tweed waistcoat, tie and a brown pinstripe jacket. He has his left hand resting on an old Victorian camera, and his right index finger is pointing upwards. — Roy Hudd - pictured as Henry Ormanroyd in JB Priestley's When We Are Married at London's Garrick Theatre - also loved performing at the theatre in Bury St Edmunds

The idea for the design - which is a brass statue of Hudd sitting on a bench - was thought up by Hudd's wife, Debbie Hudd.

Unable to hold a memorial service after his death due to the Covid-19 pandemic, she came up with the idea of a statue outside the theatre where the comedian loved performing at and visiting.

Google A street view of Westgate Street. A small theatre can be seen in a cream colour and has an arched entrance. Homes made of brick can be seen either side of the theatre. Cars are parked outside the theatre and homes. — If approved the bench would sit outside the property to the left of the theatre

Hudd performed at the theatre, including in the show Good Night Mister Tom, when he played Tom Oakley in 2018 which attracted a record-high audience.

His wife said the statue's placement would help welcome new audiences to the theatre.

Hudd's statue, costing about £100,000, has been paid for by his wife and private donations.

Hedges-Quinn, who has already created the statue, is behind other renowned works such as the one of Sir Alf Ramsay outside Portman Road in Ipswich.

Debbie Hudd smiles at the camera. She has short grey hair and wears a red blouse with black and white flowers on it. — Debbie Hudd said her husband "absolutely loved" the Theatre Royal in Bury St Edmunds

According to planning documents, the proposed site for the statue in Westgate Street is being used as a storage facility for bins, which would be relocated.

The ground would be repaved and a nearby wall would be demolished. The council will make a decision on the plans at a later date.

It is hoped the statue could be unveiled in May to mark what would have been Hudd's 90th birthday.

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