Star wars actor to open Selsey '˜Men in Sheds'

Actor and puppeteer Tim Rose, who portrayed Admiral Ackbar in the Star Wars franchise, will officially open '˜Men in Sheds' in Selsey.
Paul Hobson said that 'lovely, unassuming guy' Tim is the 'perfect person' to open the project due to his background of working in sheds. Picture contributedPaul Hobson said that 'lovely, unassuming guy' Tim is the 'perfect person' to open the project due to his background of working in sheds. Picture contributed
Paul Hobson said that 'lovely, unassuming guy' Tim is the 'perfect person' to open the project due to his background of working in sheds. Picture contributed

Tim, who has spent the last 30 years making a living out of a shed in Kent, will unveil the workshop where men can ‘feel at home’ behind the cricket pavilion at Selsey Recreation Ground on August 28 at 12pm.

Tim, who moved to England from America in 1980, said: “The place I bought here in Maidstone was a Victorian hackney coach driver’s house.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“It is a little terraced property but it has the pass through where the coaches and horses used to be taken up to be put in the stable.

Some of the team behind the project. Picture contributedSome of the team behind the project. Picture contributed
Some of the team behind the project. Picture contributed

“That stable is now my workshop and I have milling machines, lathes, band saws, hand tools and everything you need to make anything and everything that people want in the world of animatronics.

“In that shed, I actually made the entire structure for Lady Gaga’s monster for her monster tour.”

A statement on the Selsey Men in Sheds website read: “We are very lucky to get Tim with his busy schedule and to get him out of his shed where he spent the last 30 years making a living making various things for film and TV.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“He has kindly agreed to come down to Selsey and officially open our shed.”

Tim is perhaps better known for playing the role of Admiral Ackbar in Return of the Jedi, a role which he reprised in The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, but he also puppeteered the Star Wars characters of Sy Snootles and Salacious Crumb.

Having worked in animatronics for a number of years, he has also been involved with other Lucasfilm and Jim Henson Studios movies, including Howard the Duck and The Dark Crystal.

He has also worked on the set of Doctor Who, notably creating some of the infamous monsters on the sci-fi show.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Paul Hobson, one of the Selsey wood carvers and ‘personal friend’ of Tim Rose said the actor was also heavily behind the construction of the Teletubbies, whilst he still travels around the world doing Star Wars conventions.

Mr Hobson added that ‘lovely, unassuming guy’ Tim is the ‘perfect person’ to open the project due to his background of working in sheds.

Read our original story about Selsey Men in Sheds here

Related topics: