Venues pay tribute to comedian & performer Ken Dodd who’s died aged 90
Tributes have been paid throughout the day for veteran performer Sir Ken Dodd who died yesterday.
The entertainer has been hailed as a "legend" and an "inspiration", with tributes pouring in from everyone from Dawn French to David Walliams.
Across the East and West Midlands the countless venues where he entertained tens of thousands over the years have also been paying their own respects.
A volunteer at The Birmingham Hippodrome, where Ken Dodd laid the foundation stone in 1999 ahead of its major renovation, has written a touching piece describing him as 'part of the theatre’s DNA'.
The Theatre Royal in Nottingham paid the performer similar dues, as the very first venue where Ken Dodd made his professional debut in 1954.
The Buxton Opera House described it as a privilege for having shared the laughs for so many years.
ITV News Central has enjoyed its fair share of happiness thanks to the Liverpudlian legend.
Our correspondent Mark Gough had his wit tested when interviewing Sir Ken in Stratford-upon-Avon ahead of his stint at the Royal Shakespeare company in 2005.
And even earlier than that, in 1990 Tony Maycock got the tickling stick treatment outside the Birmingham Hippodrome when he tried to interview Doddy alongside his Diddy Men.
Sir Ken died in Knotty Ash, Liverpool, at the same house in which he was born in 1927, and a few days after marrying his partner of 40 years, Anne Jones.
To watch and share our memories of Ken Dodd you can go to our Facebook page.