Andy Burnham was briefly lost for words after being shown a picture of an £18kg bronze sculpture of his head on live radio this morning.

The bust of the Greater Manchester Mayor is due to be officially unveiled at Manchester Art Fair this weekend. 

The artwork, created by Morecombe-based sculptor Anthony D Padgett, is to 'help promote political figures of the North on a national scale', according to the artist. The piece took 40 hours to complete and was apparently inspired by a speech Burnham made on Universal Basic Income in 2022. 

Reacting to his likeness in the Mayoral Hotseat, Burnham said thoughtfully: "I think I look – um – intense and serious, as I probably looked on BBC Breakfast this morning when Naga [Munchetty] was giving me a hard time. So I guess it's accurate in that sense." 

Pladgett, 56, hopes the bronze sculpture will help address the Northern and Southern imbalance of political leaders represented in art. 

Artist Anthony Padgett with his work (Image - Anthony Padgett)

He said: "Politicians in London have a great profile," Padgett said. "The same cannot often be said of regional leaders. I wanted to address this and promote figures of the North on a national scale.

"Having heard Andy speak, he was a natural choice. He's a passionate advocate for the city and the North. It's important that we positively address the regional divide. Manchester has a phenomenal cultural sector and is an economic powerhouse. It has a value in its own right and this should be valued and appreciated."

Padgettt met with the Mayor of Greater Manchester to capture essential photographs and to take measurements at the Mayoral Office in 2022, and completed his work in late summer 2025. 

The bronze bust will be officially displayed at this year's Manchester Art Fair, which runs from November 21 to 23 at Manchester Central. The fair will also feature works from nationally acclaimed Manchester oil painter and artist to the King, Chloe Cox, as well as hundreds of other creators.

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