A regional press photographer who formed a 50-year friendship with entertainer Ken Dodd will see his photos of the star appear in an exhibition.

Stephen Shakeshaft, former picture editor at the Liverpool Echo, first met the comedian in the early 1960s as a teenage press photographer, when he was sent to take pictures for Dodd’s Christmas show.

The pair formed a friendship and over the years, Stephen snapped Liverpool-born Dodd many more times, with the entertainer becoming one of his most photographed subjects.

Now an exhibition of 50 of the photographer’s images of the star, called “By Jove! It’s Ken Dodd!” has opened at the Museum of Liverpool.

One of Stephen's photos which will appear in the exhibition.

In a story about the exhibition, Dodd told the Echo that he had the “utmost respect” for Stephen.

He said: “There’s all sorts of photographers. There are people who do wonderful portraits. There are other people who can get action shots. And then there’s war photographers, aerial photographers.

“Then there’s Steve Shakeshaft who isn’t just a photographer, he’s a producer as well, like a producer of a film.

“He sees the scene before he takes it. He’s got the backdrop in mind, and he sees not just the opportunity but he produces the whole scenario of a photograph. He has a tremendous eye for photography. A tremendous showman’s eye.”

Stephen added: “This exhibition isn’t just about how people see Ken Dodd as a comedian, but what he’s like when he’s preparing for a show and what he’s like on stage from a more intimate perspective in the wings.”

The exhibition runs from 8 November to 21 April next year at the Museum of Liverpool and a gallery of Stephen’s photos of Dodd can be viewed on the Echo’s website.

Former Liverpool Echo picture editor Stephen Shakeshaft is pictured with Ken Dodd.