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| Ken Dodd to unveil Blackpool comedy carpet artwork | Ken Dodd to unveil Blackpool comedy carpet artwork |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A "Comedy Carpet" featuring the catchphrases, jokes and names of more than 1,000 comedians has been unveiled at the foot of Blackpool Tower. | |
| Comic legends, including Les Dawson, Frankie Howerd, Tommy Cooper and Morecambe and Wise, are featured in the giant engraving made of granite and concrete. | Comic legends, including Les Dawson, Frankie Howerd, Tommy Cooper and Morecambe and Wise, are featured in the giant engraving made of granite and concrete. |
| It features 160,000 individually-cut letters spelling out the phrases. | It features 160,000 individually-cut letters spelling out the phrases. |
| It was officially unveiled by Ken Dodd at 12:30 BST. | |
| The project has taken five years from conception to installation and is integrated into the Tower Festival Headland at the foot of Blackpool Tower. | The project has taken five years from conception to installation and is integrated into the Tower Festival Headland at the foot of Blackpool Tower. |
| The centre of the "carpet" features five sections devoted to Ken Dodd, Les Dawson, Morecambe and Wise, Frankie Howerd and Tommy Cooper. | The centre of the "carpet" features five sections devoted to Ken Dodd, Les Dawson, Morecambe and Wise, Frankie Howerd and Tommy Cooper. |
| Around the edge of it, there is a list of comic performers and writers from the days of music hall and variety, through to contemporary performers. | |
| Designer Gordon Young said: "I'd been looking at photographs of stars and the Blackpool Tower was a recurring backdrop to the photos - Eric and Ernie in deck chairs, Ken Dodd, Les Dawson. | Designer Gordon Young said: "I'd been looking at photographs of stars and the Blackpool Tower was a recurring backdrop to the photos - Eric and Ernie in deck chairs, Ken Dodd, Les Dawson. |
| "It soon became obvious that Blackpool had been a magnetic chuckle point for the nation. From Mae West to modern maestros like Peter Kay, the sheer breadth of comedians who've performed in the town over the decades is amazing. | "It soon became obvious that Blackpool had been a magnetic chuckle point for the nation. From Mae West to modern maestros like Peter Kay, the sheer breadth of comedians who've performed in the town over the decades is amazing. |
| "As I stand on the carpet I can see, 'Let's do it, let's do it, let's do it while the mood is right' - that's Victoria Wood - and if I twist in the other direction, I can see, 'Nick nack nick nack nicky nacky noo', which is a lot of silliness but it's Ken Dodd." | "As I stand on the carpet I can see, 'Let's do it, let's do it, let's do it while the mood is right' - that's Victoria Wood - and if I twist in the other direction, I can see, 'Nick nack nick nack nicky nacky noo', which is a lot of silliness but it's Ken Dodd." |
| The engraved letters vary in size from a few centimetres, to almost a metre in height, so the piece can be seen nearby and also from a height - at the top of Blackpool Tower. | The engraved letters vary in size from a few centimetres, to almost a metre in height, so the piece can be seen nearby and also from a height - at the top of Blackpool Tower. |
| Graham Cain, Blackpool Council's cabinet member for tourism and culture, said: "This magnificent work is all part of the continuing regeneration of Blackpool. It's a truly unique work of accessible public art at one of our resort's most famous locations. | Graham Cain, Blackpool Council's cabinet member for tourism and culture, said: "This magnificent work is all part of the continuing regeneration of Blackpool. It's a truly unique work of accessible public art at one of our resort's most famous locations. |
| "There's already a huge amount of interest in the carpet and I'm looking forward to seeing people enjoy it once it's officially open." | "There's already a huge amount of interest in the carpet and I'm looking forward to seeing people enjoy it once it's officially open." |