An icon finally gets his due recognition.
Bob, as in the Bob that inspired the making of A Street Cat Named Bob (duh), has only just gone and earned himself a bloody statue in London. Well in, Bob.
The legendary on screen cat is now cast in bronze on the streets of Islington. The icon of London sadly passed away last year; to remember the fondly missed friend, James Bowen – Bob’s best friend and vendor of Big Issue – unveiled the work of the ginger cat on July 12 in Islington Green. It’s been created by designer Tanya Russel, after more than 100,000 donors worldwide chipped in to create the monument for Bob. If you’d like to pay a visit, you’ll find the statue near the famed street cat’s old pitch by Angel Station.
Bowen penned the famous tale of the street cat and the pair’s unlikely bond, which went on to sell over nine million copies and was turned into the much-loved film where Bob, of course, played himself. Bob’s loving owner credits the cat with helping him stop sleeping rough and managing to quit his previous drug use. He met the cat in 2007 when he famously spent his last £30 on a trip to vet for Bob.
Bob sadly died at the age of 14 after being hit by car last June, and an outpouring of grief towards the local heroes of north London was felt. The arrival of the statue, however, means that Bob – now cast in bronze – will remain a legend of the game forever.