Entertainment

Statue of Victoria Wood to be unveiled in Bury

The memorial will take pride of place in her home town.
The memorial will take pride of place in her home town.

A statue of much-loved comedian and actress Victoria Wood will be unveiled in her home town today.

The two-metre high sculpture depicts her performing with a typical on-stage pose, microphone in her right hand, apparently enjoying her audience’s reaction.

It will take pride of place in Library Gardens, off Silver Street, in Bury town centre – opposite Bury Library where Wood used to steal books since she was too chronically shy to ask a librarian how to join.

Victoria Wood
Victoria Wood died from cancer at the age of 62 (Ian West/PA)

Created by Graham Ibbeson who sculpted a famous memorial to Eric Morecambe, the life-sized bronze memorial was commissioned by Victoria’s brother Chris Foote-Wood, as well as members of her literary estate and Bury Council.

A multi Bafta award-winning comedian, writer and actor, Wood was born in Prestwich and attended Bury Grammar School for Girls.

She died in April 2016, aged 62, following a battle with cancer.

A full weekend of events is being arranged to coincide with the unveiling, including a one-off performance in Bury by co-stars in her TV sitcom Dinnerladies.