Craig Charles Marks 50 Years Since Life-Changing Poetry Win with New Liverpool Tribute
On National Poetry Day, Craig Charles, the 62-year-old actor and presenter, shared a new spoken word piece that pays tribute to his hometown of Liverpool. This piece celebrates the 50th anniversary of his poetry competition victory when he was just 12, a turning point that he believes shaped his life. By the age of 16, he was already performing at the Everyman Bistro, and soon made his debut on BBC 2's Riverside. He reflected on how his early poetry addressed issues like riots and poverty, saying, "Liverpool was getting kicked to pieces at that time." During the BBC Radio 6 Music's Way With Words event, he highlighted Liverpool's vibrant cultural scene and referred to poetry as an essential part of "Merseyside's DNA."
Key facts
- Craig Charles is 62 years old.
- Charles won a poetry competition at age 12, 50 years ago.
- His new spoken word piece pays tribute to Liverpool for National Poetry Day.
- By 16, he performed at Liverpool's Everyman Bistro basement venue.
- Within a year, he performed poetry on BBC 2's Riverside.
- The work traces Liverpool's cultural history after The Beatles' split.
- It was featured in BBC Radio 6 Music's Way With Words event.
- National Poetry Day was on Thursday.
Entities
Artists
- Craig Charles
Institutions
- BBC
- BBC 2
- BBC Radio 6 Music
- BBC Radio Merseyside
- Everyman Bistro
- Riverside
- The Beatles
- National Poetry Day
Locations
- Liverpool
- United Kingdom
- Merseyside