‘Coronation Street’ favourite Hilda Ogden will be honoured in the form of a giant bee sculpture in Greater Manchester.
The iconic character – who was played by the late Jean Alexander from 1964 to 1987 – will be memorialised as one of 100 art pieces installed across the northern city as part of a public trail running from 23rd July until 23rd September.
The long-running ITV soap is based in Manchester, and stars including Samia Longchambon, Julia Goulding and Jane Danson were on hand to get a first-look at the sculpture.
Nicknamed Hilda Bugden, the huge model will join insect tributes to the likes of Liam Gallagher, the legendary Hacienda night club and the city’s football teams Manchester United and Manchester City.
The event – titled ‘Bee in the City’ – has been organised by Manchester City Council in partnership with global public art producer Wild in Art.
The worker bee design – which has long been tied to the city’s role in the Industrial Revolution – has become synonymous with the English city following the terror attack which took place outside the Manchester Arena following Ariana Grande’s concert at the venue last May after it was adopted as a symbol of hope.
At the end of the summer-long event all the Bees will be auctioned off to raise money for the Lord Mayor’s We Love Manchester charity (Welovemcrcharity.org), which works to improve the lives and life chances of people in Manchester.
Corrie’s Hilda Ogden turned into a bee for art trail
