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A statue of cult hero Frank Sidebottom has been unveiled in Manchester and the ceremony was attended by a big crowd of the character’s many fans including star supporter Damon Gough – Badly Drawn Boy.
The statue is standing proud in his home town of Timperley, Greater Manchester after being revealed at precisely 11.37am – one of the comic’s catchphrases.
Frank made regular appearances on Granada TV in the late 80s and 90s, became a presenter on various radio and television programmes such as Granada Reports and made on his own unique show Frank Sidebottom’s Fantastic Shed Show in 1992.
Frank Sidebottom was the brainchild of musician and comedian Chris Sievey, who suddenly died of cancer in June 2010.
Frank was first revealed to the world on a 12” promotional disc which came free with the video game Chris Sievey created called The Biz for the ZX Spectrum computer in 1984.
The papier-mâché headed enigma first appeared live on stage that same year as an aspiring pop star and fan of Sievey’s punk band the Freshies.
He toured extensively around the UK in the 1980s and early 1990s with his Oh Blimey Big Band which included BBC broadcaster Mark Radcliffe and Guardian journalist Jon Ronson.
Frank also starred in his own exhibition at London’s Chelsea Space Gallery between July and August 2007.
Timperely’s most famous son was responsible for many parody cover songs including a hilarious reworking of Panic by the Smiths.