Corby couple 'wed' by Bill Drummond after KLF fan dad misses Hull ceremony

A Corby family got a wedding present to remember when a world-famous musician and artist stepped in to recreate a marriage ceremony for the father of the bride.

When Isabella Keegans and fiance Nigel Barber tied the knot in Hull it was a low-key event but proud dad Liam Keegans was unable to attend due to ongoing treatment for prostate cancer.

Returning home to Corby Isabella took her dad to the new exhibition at the Roof Top Arts Centre where maverick artist Bill Drummond has set up his The 25 Paintings show and immersive tea room experience.

KLF fan Liam was accompanied by friend Kenny Ball, who had already secretly made contact with Mr Drummond to see if he could make the afternoon even more special.

Liam said: “I have advanced prostate cancer so I was too poorly to travel and it was going to be a small wedding so Isabella said she’d come down the day after the wedding.

"She heard that Bill Drummond was doing his exhibition so she booked us in for tea. Unknown to me and Isabella and Nigel, Kenny went to see Bill and asked him if he could do ‘something’.

When the newly-weds and Liam arrived, they were surprised to be greeted by their names and after the tea even more surprised to be part of an impromptu marriage service, Drummond style.

The party were invited to take part in a tea room wedding service with Mr Drummond officiating in his flowery pinny. Using the couple’s wedding rings, Mr Drummond announced them ‘tea shop wedded wife and husband’.

The 62-year-old said: “It was absolutely mind-blowing. Fantastic. It was the strangest thing. We were part of the exhibition, it was like performance art. It made it extra special and what a nice guy.

"I was a fan of the music and, after the KLF was no longer the KLF, I was interested in him as a left-field artist. Isabella is a fan of the KLF. She was buzzing.”

Kenny Bell, who organised the surprise, said: “It was beautiful. I was crying because Liam has gone through so much and missing the wedding in Hull. It’s made his year.”

Liam added: “It’s typical Kenny.”