Kirkby and now lives in Maghull, said Stephen lived on the same street as her family growing up. She decided to paint him as part of her Scouse celebrity project, with the painting having previously featured in an exhibition at Kirkby Art Gallery.
Gillian's sister, Alison, shared details of the artwork in a community group on Facebook in the hope someone would be able to put them in touch with Stephen to sign it.
Thanks to the "power of social media," Gillian and Alison, 43, met Stephen on Tuesday and they posed for a picture together.
Gillian, 60, told the ECHO: "I grew up in Kirkby and I've got a younger brother and sister. "Stephen used to be friends with my brother Lee growing up and my sister Alison remembers him.
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