Liverpool is set to honor the late comedy legend Sir Ken Dodd with a new £15m centre dedicated to preserving his legacy. The Sir Ken Dodd Happiness Centre will house his joke books, tickling sticks, Diddymen puppets, and other artefacts, providing a permanent home for his archive.
The four-storey centre, attached to the Royal Court theatre where Sir Ken frequently performed, will also host comedy performances and events. The plans for the centre were recently approved by Liverpool City Council, with construction set to begin soon.
Sir Ken’s widow, Lady Anne Dodd, expressed her excitement about the project, stating, “I am thrilled that my dream of creating a legacy to celebrate Ken’s life has reached such a landmark stage.” She added that Sir Ken would have been delighted that the centre is linked to the theatre he helped save in 1979.
The centre will feature exhibition space for Sir Ken’s possessions, including his joke-filled notebooks and observations on the art of comedy. Despite his instructions for them to be burned after his death, Lady Anne decided to preserve the books, considering them “unique” and “invaluable.”
With funding from the Sir Ken Dodd Charitable Foundation and the Comedy Trust, as well as a fundraising campaign in the works, the Sir Ken Dodd Happiness Centre is expected to open in time for the 100th anniversary of Sir Ken’s birth in 2027. Liverpool’s Royal Court chief executive, Gillian Miller, expressed excitement about creating a center for happiness and wellbeing in the city, emphasizing the unique and joyful spirit that Sir Ken brought to audiences throughout his career.
