Guys, Greg James is going to unveil the official Long Boi statue live on Radio 1

It’s official – Greg James is coming to Derwent!

2 months ago

University of York Students’ Union has announced that the official Long Boi memorial statue will be unveiled to the public on Thursday 26th September.

Radio 1 host and Long Boi fanatic, Greg James, will cover the event, with the unveiling being broadcast live on the Radio 1 Breakfast Show.

In a post shared to Instagram, the SU explained how donators can access tickets to the event and wrote “It’s been a long time coming”.

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A post shared by University of York Students’ Union (@yorkunisu)

Yesterday, Greg James discussed the event on the Breakfast Show, where he officially accepted the invitation to unveil the statue and expressed that “the biggest regret of [his] life” was not seeing LongBoi before his passing.

How can I attend the unveiling?

Photograph via @longboiyork on Instagram

Tickets to the unveiling will first be offered to those who contributed to the impressive £5.5k raised for the statue in July 2023, following LongBoi’s death earlier that year. However, if you’re not one of the 340 donors, don’t lose hope just yet – YUSU will be sharing details on how to access any remaining tickets on its Instagram in the coming weeks.

What will the statue look like?

Photographs provided to The York Tab by Neil Mason

The statue has been crafted by Welsh sculptor Neil R. Mason, who gave students a sneak peek of the clay model earlier this year. He mentioned to the BBC that students “seemed quite pleased with it.”

Neil said: “I used those as reference materials, but I tried to engender the character he seemed to represent to people – he had quite an imperious look to him.

“When I showed the clay mould to the students they seemed quite pleased with it.”

Earlier this summer, the clay model was sent to Greece where it was cast in bronze. Standing at 2ft 4in (70 cm), the statue will reflect LongBoi’s true size, fulfilling former Student Union President Pierrick Rogers’ wish for visitors to “see LongBoi as he was.” The statue will also feature a pedestal, very fittingly made of Yorkstone.

The statue has been cast, completed and sent back to York, however its final appearance is being kept a surprise for the grand reveal.

Where will the statue be?

Photograph of the site of the upcoming LongBoi statue

LongBoi’s sculpture will be placed to the west of Derwent College, by the Derwent lake where LongBoi was frequently sighted. The statue has been designed specifically with this location in mind, and will ensure LongBoi’s presence lives on in the heart of the campus.

So, whether you’re in your final years at York and looking to reminisce, or if your first encounter with LongBoi will be through the statue, hopefully this unveiling will provide you with something to look forward to in the academic year beyond Freshers’ Week.