Tommy Cooper statue unveiled – just like that!

Feb 25 2008 by Wendy Horton, South Wales Echo

A TOWN centre came to a standstill as Hollywood legend Sir Anthony Hopkins arrived to pay tribute to one of its most famous sons.

The star said he was overwhelmed by the thousands of fans who came to Caerphilly to watch him unveil a 9ft statue of Tommy Cooper.

Sir Anthony spent around an hour on Saturday mingling with the crowd, which had to be held back with barriers, signed autographs, shook hands and posed for pictures before the ceremony.

He delighted his audience with a 10-minute barrage of Tommy Cooper jokes before speaking about his admiration for the man he described as a great comic.

“Tommy Cooper was a one-off. I wish I had met him but I never had that privilege.

“But I am privileged to do the unveiling with his cousin Betty.”

Sir Anthony said he had not been to Caerphilly for many years but was delighted with its warm welcome.

After the ceremony, he joined members of the Tommy Cooper Society and VIP guests for a private lunch in the great hall of Caerphilly Castle.

Clearly taken with the hall, Sir Anthony, who wore a daffodil in his lapel given to him by a fan, said: “I have been outside the castle and driven past it but never been in here.

“I want to thank you for the huge welcome for me and my wife.”

Throughout lunch he told guests he had been overwhelmed by the turnout of the crowd and the welcome he received from the people of Caerphilly. He also praised the creator of the statue, sculptor James Done, from Cardiff.

Sat by his side, his American wife Stella wore a fez all through the celebrations and told guests they would definitely be coming back to Caerphilly.

She said: “Wales is a special place for me.

“It’s where Tony was born.

“I feel very much at home here in Wales.”

Before the couple left, Stella was presented with a bouquet of flowers while Sir Anthony was given a small bronze ‘Cooper’ statue to take back to his home in California.

Tudor Jones, secretary of the Tommy Cooper Society, said: “One of our two objectives was to make sure that the whole world knows that Tommy Cooper was born in Caerphilly.

“With Anthony Hopkins unveiling the statue I think that they all know that his size 13 boots are firmly planted in the town of his birth.”

wendy.horton@mediawales.co.uk