BREAKING NEWS: Comedian Ken Dodd is dead at 90

Comedian Sir Ken Dodd has died aged 90 just days after being released from hospital following weeks of treatment for a chest infection.

The stand-up star was discharged from the Liverpool Heart and Chest hospital just under two weeks ago, following a six-week stay for a nasty chest infection. 

But yesterday the funnyman cancelled all of the upcoming shows from his Happiness Tour in order to give himself time to recover from recent health woes.  

The stand-up star was discharged from the Liverpool Heart and Chest hospital just under two weeks ago, following a six-week stay for a nasty chest infection

He vowed to return to his comedy career after leaving the hospital, saying: once I’ve recovered myself I’ll get back to doing the job, which is the only job I’ve ever had. While I was in here I wrote some new jokes, so it should be alright’

Speaking once he was discharged from hospital the veteran comic vowed to return to his comedy career.

He said: ‘I’m going to teach my legs how to work again, they’ve forgotten you know, and once I’ve recovered myself I’ll get back to doing the job, which is the only job I’ve ever had.

‘While I was in here I wrote some new jokes, so it should be alright.’ 

He was famed for his white and blue “tickling stick” and his well-loved catchphrase ‘How tickled I am’. 

Sir Ken said: ‘I have to say in all sincerity that I have been so very, well-treated and I can’t praise the staff at the hospital too highly. They have been absolutely wonderful’

Pictured: The veteran comic holding his famous white and blue ‘tickling stick’ surrounded by his Diddymen

Born in Liverpool, Ken was an English comedian whose work is part of the music hall tradition.