Keith Harris will be laid to rest today (08.05.15).
Keith Harris with Orville the duck
The memorial service for the late ventriloquist, who passed away last month aged 67 following a battle with cancer, is set to take place at the Sacred Heart RC Church in Blackpool this afternoon followed by a private burial.
Keith found fame with puppets Orville the duck and Cuddles the monkey and was a regular on Saturday night television in the 80s.
He also put on private performances at the birthday parties of Britain's Prince Harry and Prince William when they were just young boys.
Announcing the news of his death last month, Keith's agent Robert C. Kelly said in a statement: "It is with great sadness I announce the death of my friend and client Keith Harris whom I have known for well over 20 years and managed for the past 15 years.
"In 2013 Keith suffered a loss of appetite and a swelling in his abdomen, initially unsure of the cause, the doctors eventually removed his spleen and after a biopsy began treating Keith for cancer.
"Diagnosis proved difficult, however, it was finally narrowed to a very rare form of cancer with no known cure.
"Despite Keith undergoing long and difficult stem-cell replacement treatment during the summer of 2014 and appearing to have fully recovered, it became clear in January of 2015 that Keith was once again becoming unwell.
"Keith visited the oncologist at Blackpool Victoria Hospital and was told the cancer was in Keith's liver and there was nothing further they could do.
"Over the past few months, Keith has enjoyed several holidays to his second home in Portugal, taking walks along the Blackpool sea front and sitting in the park eating ice cream and watching the world go by.
"Keith died today, 28 April 2015 at 4.50am in Blackpool Victoria Hospital."
The announcement came a year after Keith - who left behind his wife Sarah Harris and their children Kitty and Shenton and his daughter Skye from his first marriage - revealed he'd been secretly battling cancer but had beaten the disease during a show in Wales.
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