Statue honour for comic legend Eric?

Eric Sykes: Oldham-born comedy legend

OLDHAM Council is planning to place statues of famous Oldhamers along the Union Street route of Metrolink. Here’s another candidate; comic legend Eric.

Oldham-born comic genius Eric Sykes was a radio, television, film writer, actor and director whose performing career spanned more than 50 years.

Born in Oldham in 1923, he wrote for and performed with almost all the leading comedy actors and writers of his day, from Tony Hancock and Spike Milligan to Tommy Cooper and Peter Sellers.

Eric became one of the most popular comic actors of his generation with his long-running and much-loved comedy television show “Sykes”, which feautured Hattie Jacques as his sister and attracted huge audiences between 1960-79.

He was also well-known for short films such as “The Plank” and “Rhubarb”, both of which he wrote, directed and starred in. he was also a West End stage star, notably in comedies such as Big Bad Mouse alongside comedy star Jimmy Edwards.

Profoundly deaf since the 1950s and partially sighted in his later years, he continued to work in films such as The Others (2001) and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005).

He featured in TV’s Heartbeat, New Tricks and My Family

The much-loved entertainer was awarded an OBE in 1986 and a CBE in 2005 and died last July aged 89 following a short illness.


::More statue candidates to come.