Dad's Army star Bill Pertwee delights his Thetford fans

Published: 9:50 AM October 21, 2009

Updated: 9:34 AM October 11, 2020

VISITORS from across the country flocked to Thetford to meet a star of the popular television series Dad's Army.

More than 40 years after the TV series was filmed in the town Bill Pertwee, best known as Warden Hodges, arrived to sign copies of his new book, The Making of a TV Legend.

Crowds crammed into Thetford's Dad's Army Museum on Saturday and were not disappointed when Mr Pertwee arrived with one of his original helmets.

Curator, Corinne Fulford, said: “Bill loves coming back to Thetford; he has very fond memories of his days filming here including his stays at the Bell Hotel, which he was thrilled to see has made such dramatic improvements of late.”

After the book signing, Mr Pertwee travelled to Dovercourt to a special Hi-de-Hi 30th anniversary book launch. He will be back in Thetford next year for the planned unveiling of a new Captain Mainwaring statue.