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Tributes pour in for Manc legend and Piccadilly Rats dancer ‘Tommy Trouble’
'A mad, funny, loving, caring, man'
![](https://themanc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/piccadilly-rats-tommy-trouble-tribute-080824-DJ-youtube-cabbage-2.png)
Piccadilly Rats legend Tommy Piggot, known by many as Tommy Trouble, has died.
Tommy is a familiar face to most Mancs thanks to his years performing with Piccadilly Rats, a well-known busking and street performance band.
He was often seen dancing in Piccadilly Gardens, wearing his signature police helmet, and once opened the Parklife festival main stage with the group.
They were even the stars of a music video for Tameside rock band CABBAGE.
The Piccadilly Rats haven’t performed for several years following the death of their frontman Ray Boddington, who passed away after being hit by a tram in 2019.
Tommy Trouble passed away on Monday evening at the age of 82 after suffering a seizure, his family said, following several years struggling with cancer, dementia and epilepsy.
Tributes are flooding in for the much-loved Manc icon, who will be ‘sadly missed’.
One person wrote: “So sad to hear of the passing of Tommy from The Piccadilly Rats. He was wonderful.”
Nathan Cunningham, director of the documentary The Piccadilly Rats: Live in Moderation, described Tommy Trouble as ‘a mad, funny, loving, caring man’.
He said: “RIP Tommy Trouble. A Manc folk hero and a friend who shared his life with me for 6yrs during the making of the Piccadilly Rats Film.
“A mad, funny, loving, caring, man. He made me laugh, he made me cry. God bless his soul as he dances with Ray in the sky.”
RIP Tommy Trouble. A Manc folk hero and a friend who shared his life with me for 6yrs during the making of the Piccadilly Rats Film. A mad, funny, loving, caring, man. He made me laugh, he made me cry. God bless his soul as he dances with Ray in the sky 🙏 pic.twitter.com/xLdu7BNpSK
— Nathan Cunningham (@NathGeese78) August 7, 2024
Someone else wrote on Facebook: “Just read that Tommy Piggot(known around Piccadilly as Tommy trouble passed away on Monday. He was well known around market st as he was always dancing wearing a policeman’s helmet mainly outside Primark Manchester.
“He lately used to go on buses collecting an armful of free papers and distribute them around Piccadilly. I always stopped and had a few words with him and slip him a tenner. He will be sadly missed by all who knew him.”
In a tribute supplied to the MEN by his family, they said: “He loved just going to town and dancing and bringing that joy to other people. That’s what he loved to do.”
RIP Tommy Trouble 🥲
— Rachel Doyle 🐝 (@Rachel_Doyle72) August 7, 2024
The Piccadilly Rats were the best buskers in the world!
Me dancing with Tommy!
He’s now dancing up there with Ray. Love you both xxx 💔#ThePiccadillyRats #TommyTrouble @GPiccadillyRats 🐀 pic.twitter.com/dICwcimd6Q
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Featured image: CABBAGE