Tributes have been paid to veteran comedian Roy Hudd who died on Tuesday aged 83.

He had a close link with Sheppey having officially reopened the Criterion Theatre at Blue Town in June 2018 after a £34,000 revamp.

The president of the British Music Hall Society cut a ribbon of ‘barbed wire’ to open an exhibition of music hall memorabilia.

After the ceremony Mr Hudd, who presented The News Huddlines radio show, chatted about his 60-year career in showbusiness with his wife Debbie in front of a sell-out audience.

He said: “This is my first trip to Sheppey and the Criterion and my first experience of a reborn music hall.

“It is just terrific and knock-out what everyone has done. It’s a miracle how they have brought it back to life.”

Criterion director Jenny Hurkett said: "Roy was a true gentleman.

"When he appeared here his show was sold out. People travelled from all over the country to meet him and share special stories with him. He stayed on and spoke to everyone.

"He was impressed with our music hall and even gave us a donation.

"We are very proud that he performed here. His knowledge and passion for music hall and variety will sadly never be seen again."

Dean Caston from Rainham, who helped organise the visit and is vice-chairman of the British Music Hall Society, said: "I was so sad to hear the passing of an entertainment legend.

"Roy was a fantastic president of the British Music Hall Society and will be sadly missed.

"In recent years I had the honour and privilege of organising his annual celebrity lunch. He was a true gentleman and also patron of the Oasthouse Theatre, Rainham."

Dean also directs the Criterion's music hall shows.

Roy Hudd was born in Croydon on May 16, 1936, and became a star of radio, TV and variety shows. He also played undertaker Archie Shuttleworth in the ITV soap Coronation Street.

But his true love was always the music hall and became an authority on the comedian Max Miller, one of whose suits was on show at the Criterion's exhibition.

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