Heart UK

Mark Steel's in Town

<p>Comedian Mark Steel visits towns across the UK, meets the locals, and creates a stand up show for them - and us - about the town.</p>

BBC Radio 4

6/6 - Unst - 'The Island Above All Others'. After performing in Lerwick earlier in the series, Mark’s Shetland adventure concludes in Unst, as far north as you can get. There will also be extended versions of each episode available on BBC Sounds.Written and performed by Mark SteelAdditional material by Pete Sinclair
Production co-ordinators Caroline Barlow and Katie Baum
Sound Manager Jerry Peal
Producer Carl CooperA BBC Studios production for Radio 4

6. Unst (Shetland part 2)

For the fifth stop of the series, Mark travels to Lerwick, the capital of Shetland, perched at the far edge of Britain, where everyone’s on first-name terms with the fog.It’s a place where Viking heritage meets oil rigs and knitting patterns, where the winter fire festival Up Helly Aa lights up the darkness, and where the locals are masters of making their own fun. This is the first of Mark’s two shows from Shetland, recorded in front of an audience in Lerwick. Later in the series he’ll also be visiting Unst, the UK’s most northerly inhabited island.This is the 14th series of Mark's award winning show where he travels around the country visiting towns that have nothing in common but their uniqueness. After thoroughly researching each town, Mark writes and performs a bespoke evening of comedy for a local audience. As well as Shetland, in this series, Mark be will also be popping to Oakham in Rutland, Wrexham, Lewisham and Cambridge. There will also be extended versions of each episode available on BBC Sounds.Written and performed by Mark SteelAdditional material by Pete Sinclair
Production co-ordinators Caroline Barlow and Katie Baum
Sound Manager Jerry Peal
Producer Carl CooperA BBC Studios production for Radio 4

5. Lerwick (Shetland part 1)

Mark Steel visits Cambridge and creates a show for the local audience.There will also be extended versions of each episode available on BBC sounds.Written and performed by Mark Steel
Additional material by Pete Sinclair
Production co-ordinator Caroline Barlow and Katie Baum
Sound Manager Jerry Peal
Producer Carl CooperA BBC Studios production for Radio 4

4. Cambridge

Mark Steel visits Lewisham in south London and creates a show for the local audience.There will also be extended versions of each episode available on BBC sounds.Written and performed by Mark SteelAdditional material by Pete Sinclair
Production co-ordinator Caroline Barlow and Katie Baum
Sound Manager Chris Maclean
Producer Carl CooperA BBC Studios production for Radio 4

3. Lewisham

Second stop of the new series is Wrexham in North Wales. Wrexham has gone from industrial workhorse to global celebrity, thanks to two Hollywood actors who bought the local football club. 
It’s a place where five of the Seven Wonders of Wales are apparently within walking distance of a Screwfix, where children learn “risk management” on playgrounds made from drainpipes salvaged at the council tip, and where an underground tunnel network may or may not have been built for priests sneaking to the pub... or for inmates tunnelling into prison for a game of pool.This is the 14th series of Mark's award-winning show where he travels around the country visiting towns that have nothing in common but their uniqueness. After thoroughly researching each town, Mark writes and performs a bespoke evening of comedy for a local audience. As well as Wrexham, in this series, Mark be will also be popping to Oakham, Cambridge, Lewisham and, Lerwick and Unst in Shetland.There will also be extended versions of each episode available on BBC sounds.Written and performed by Mark SteelAdditional material by Pete Sinclair
Production co-ordinator Caroline Barlow and Katie Baum
Sound Manager Jerry Peal
Producer Carl CooperA BBC Studios production for Radio 4

2. Wrexham

First stop of the new series is Oakham, nestled in the UK’s smallest county – Rutland.Rutland has a village that's proudly twinned with Paris (even if the Parisians don’t know), has Europe’s largest man-made lake (which required flooding a local village) and hangs its horseshoes the other way round (so the devil falls out, obviously).Joining Mark is Clare Balding, who’s also in town to take him on a ramble around Rutland, which you can hear in Ramblings, this Thursday on Radio 4. This is the 14th series of Mark's award winning show where he travels around the country visiting towns that have nothing in common but their uniqueness. After thoroughly researching each town, Mark writes and performs a bespoke evening of comedy for a local audience. As well as Oakham, in this series, Mark be will also be popping to Wrexham, Cambridge, Lewisham and, Lerwick and Unst in Shetland.There will also be extended versions of each episode available on BBC sounds.Written and performed by Mark SteelAdditional material by Pete Sinclair
Production co-ordinator Caroline Barlow and Katie Baum
Sound Manager Jerry Peal
Producer Carl CooperA BBC Studios production for Radio 4

1. Oakham

Mark Steel’s award-winning show where he travels around the UK visiting towns with nothing in common but their uniqueness.After thoroughly researching each town, Mark writes and performs a bespoke evening of comedy for a local audience"...Coleraine is a big town and is ready for City status..." Mark visits the town of Coleraine in Northern Ireland.Written and performed by Mark SteelAdditional material by Pete SinclairProducer Carl CooperA BBC Studios Audio production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in July 2024.****  Extended versions of each episode are available on BBC Sounds.

Coleraine

Mark Steel’s award-winning show where he travels around the UK visiting towns with nothing in common but their uniqueness.After thoroughly researching each town, Mark writes and performs a bespoke evening of comedy for a local audience.“...a place where all the baristas know your name ... "Next stop, Mark is in Nether Edge, a leafy suburb of Sheffield which wants to become a village. Here he samples the local honey, visits the local shops and cafes, a rum keg - and the bowl's club that once threw out Ronnie Wood for inappropriate behaviour. He also talks to the passionate locals about a campaign by the council to make the area less leafy by cutting down half of the trees.Written and performed by Mark Steel.Additional material by Pete Sinclair.Producer: Carl CooperA BBC Studios Audio production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in July 2024.

Nether Edge

The award-winning show where Mark Steel travels around the UK visiting towns with nothing in common but their uniqueness.After thoroughly researching each town, Mark writes and performs a bespoke evening of comedy for a local audience.Next stop,  Mark visits the city of Stoke-on-Trent, part of the industrial area know as The Potteries. Mark chats to the locals about their town, hears about how friendly people are and some the famous people associated with Stoke.Written and performed by Mark Steel.Additional material by Pete Sinclair.Producer: Carl CooperA BBC Studios Audio production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in July 2024.

Stoke-on-Trent

The award-winning show where Mark Steel travels around the UK visiting towns with nothing in common but their uniqueness.After thoroughly researching each town, Mark writes and performs a bespoke evening of comedy for a local audience.Next stop, Mark visits East Grinstead and chats to locals about their town, and discovers its places of interest, including the historic high street. Plus its connection to Winnie the Pooh.Written and performed by Mark Steel.Additional material by Pete Sinclair.Producer: Carl CooperA BBC Studios Audio production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in July 2024.

East Grinstead

The award-winning show where Mark Steel travels around the UK visiting towns with nothing in common but their uniqueness.After thoroughly researching each town, Mark writes and performs a bespoke evening of comedy for a local audience.Next stop, Mark visits the Malvern hills in Worcestershire. “...if ever after I'm dead you hear someone whistling this tune on the Malvern Hills, don't be alarmed, it's only me" 
Edward Elgar.Famous for its magical waters and its steep hills.  Amongst those associated with Malvern are: C.S Lewis, Tolkien, Charles Darwin, George Bernard Shaw and Theodore Roosevelt.  As well as Malvern, in this series, Mark be will also be popping to Margate, Stoke on Trent, East Grinstead, Coleraine in Northern Ireland and Nether Edge in Sheffield. Written and performed by Mark SteelAdditional material by Pete SinclairProducer Carl CooperA BBC Studios Audio production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in June 2024.

Malvern

Mark Steel is back with the 13th series of his award-winning show where he travels around the UK visiting towns with nothing in common but their uniqueness. After thoroughly researching each town, Mark writes and performs a bespoke evening of comedy for a local audience.First stop, Mark packs his bucket and spade and visits the lovely seaside town of Margate in the Thanet district of Kent.“...a nice spot not vulgarised by crowds of literary people...” Oscar WildeA magical place where TS Eliot wrote a verse of The Wasteland, JMW Turner painted views of the Harbour, Tracy Emin spent her formative years and Pete Doherty has his name on a wall of fame in a cafe for eating a "mega breakfast" in under 20 minutes.Mark visits Dreamland and its 100 year old rollercoaster, the famous Crab Museum and the historic Walpole Hotel, before performing his show in the Cliff Bar and snooker hall under the iconic Lido Tower.Later in this series Mark is off to Stoke on Trent, Malvern and East Grinstead in England plus Coleraine in Northern Ireland.Written and performed by Mark Steel.Additional material by Pete Sinclair.Producer: Carl CooperA BBC Studios Audio production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in June 2024.

Margate

Mark Steel's In Town - ParisMark Steel is back with the 12th series of his award-winning show that travels around the country visiting towns that have nothing in common but their uniqueness. After thoroughly researching each town, Mark writes and performs a bespoke evening of comedy for a local audience.In this final episode Mark visits Paris. Yeah, that Paris. The one in France. Where he performs on a boat on the river Seine. In this special extended edition of the programme Mark performs the show in English and then in French, for a French-speaking audience.The English version is first and the French version starts at 35 minutes.In this series, Mark also popped to Nottingham, Tring, The Isles of Scilly, Salisbury, and Newport. And for the first time, there will be extended versions of each episode available on BBC sounds.Written and performed by Mark SteelAdditional material by Pete Sinclair
Production co-ordinator Sarah Sharpe
Production co-ordinator Katie Baum
Sound Manager Jerry Peal
Producer Carl Cooper
Producer Richard MorrisWith special thanks to Mark's French teacher Fatima BelaouziA BBC Studios production for BBC Radio 4

Paris (English and French)

Mark Steel continues his award winning show that travels around the country visiting towns that have nothing in common but their uniqueness. After thoroughly researching each location, Mark writes and performs a bespoke evening of comedy for a local audience.Mark brushes up on his French and visits Paris. Yeah, that Paris. The one in France. He's set to perform an evening of comedy on board a boat on the River Seine. As he immerses himself in the French capital, he shares his thoughts on the best things in Paris.Written and performed by Mark Steel.With special thanks to Mark's French teacher Fatima Belaouzi.Additional material by Pete Sinclair.Producers: Carl Cooper and  Richard MorrisA BBC Studios production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in September 2022.

Paris

Mark Steel continues his award-winning show travelling around the country visiting towns that have nothing in common but their uniqueness.After thoroughly researching each town, he writes and performs a bespoke evening of comedy for a local audience.Mark is in Newport in South Wales and uncovers some of the history and local stories and people.Written and performed by Mark Steel.Additional material by Pete Sinclair.Producer: Carl CooperA BBC Studios production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in September 2022.

Newport

Mark Steel continues his award-winning show travelling around the country visiting towns that have nothing in common but their uniqueness.After thoroughly researching each town, he writes and performs a bespoke evening of comedy for a local audience.Mark is in Wiltshire's cathedral city of Salisbury - situated near the edge of Salisbury Plain.Written and performed by Mark Steel.Additional material by Pete Sinclair.Producer:  Carl CooperA BBC Studios production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in September 2022.

Salisbury

Mark Steel continues his award-winning show travelling around the country visiting towns that have nothing in common but their uniqueness.After thoroughly researching each town, he writes and performs a bespoke evening of comedy for a local audience.Mark arrives on the Isles of Scilly, dipping into local history and tales of shipwrecks. Written and performed by Mark SteelAdditional material by Pete SinclairProducer: Carl CooperA BBC Studios production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in September 2022.

The Isles of Scilly

Mark Steel continues his award-winning show travelling around the country visiting towns that have nothing in common but their uniqueness.After thoroughly researching each town, he writes and performs a bespoke evening of comedy for a local audience.Mark moves on to Tring in Hertfordshire and discovers the home of the Natural History Museum, and the former private museum of Walter Rothschild, where he goes to see the exhibit of fleas dressed as Mexicans. Written and performed by Mark Steel.Additional material by Pete Sinclair.Producer: Carl CooperA BBC Studios production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in August 2022.

Tring

"Ay up me duck!"Mark Steel returns with the 12th series of his award winning show that travels around the country visiting towns that have nothing in common but their uniqueness.After thoroughly researching each town, he writes and performs a bespoke evening of comedy for a local audience. Mark is kicking off with a visit to Nottingham in the East Midlands.  It's a contrarian city, full of heroes, rebels, caves and lovers of mushy peas. He learns about local legends, Robin Hood, Lord Byron, DH Lawrence, Brian Clough, and the most famous of all, Frank the xylophone player. Plus the history of the Luddites, the cheese riots and visits three pubs that are all the oldest in the country. Later in this series, Mark is off to the Isles of Scilly, Tring, Salisbury, Newport and Paris. Written and performed by Mark Steel.Additional material by Pete Sinclair.Producer: Carl CooperA BBC Studios production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in August 2022.

Nottingham

There’s one thing you definitely can’t miss in Whitby and that’s the ruined abbey up on a cliff looking down on the town. It’s also hard to miss the jawbone of a blue whale set atop the opposite hill and the fact that Dracula was a researched and written here by Bram Stoker. You’ll not go wanting if you are in search of a chip either. Mark Steel manages to dodge the seagulls and presents his findings to a local audience at The Brunswick Centre.The full box set of all episodes (with well over 50 towns visited) is available now wherever you get your podcasts.Written by and starring...Mark Steel
With additional material from Pete Sinclair
Production Coordinator...Beverly Tagg
Producer...Julia McKenzie
A BBC Studios Production.

Whitby

Walthamstow has got plenty going for it - "it has the requisite villagey middle-class bit, but with a proper gor-blimey guv'nor East End heart" says one newspaper article and Mark finds a town mid-gentrification. The dog track has gone, the famously long market remains but there is also a Viking Shop and an extraordinary showroom and workshop with a vast range of neon light fittings called God's Own Junkyard. There is a museum dedicated to the designer William Morris who used to live there and there's evidence of a recent war too in the form of the cycling scheme known as "mini-Holland." Hopefully Mark will tread carefully. With guest local MP Stella Creasy.The full box set of all episodes (with well over 50 towns visited) is available now wherever you get your podcasts.Written by and starring...Mark Steel
With additional material from Pete Sinclair
Production Coordinator...Beverly Tagg
Producer...Julia McKenzie
A BBC Studios Production.

Walthamstow, London

The famous Blyth Staithes (created for off-loading coal into ships) were the backdrop for one of the grimmest scenes in the Michael Caine classic Get Carter - the smoggy industrial view at the time described by the director as an "absolute vision of hell". Undaunted, comedian Mark Steel travels to this part of Northumberland and finds a fascinating industrial legacy, a posh pub, a very nice beach and prominent indications of its role in the first and second World Wars. Does a town blighted by so many closures show any evidence of green shoots?  Mark presents his findings to a local audience at The Phoenix Theatre and as ever gets away with just the right amount of affection rudeness and we learn more about a very distinctive coastal town in the UK. The full box set of all episodes (with well over 50 towns visited) is available now wherever you get your podcasts.Written by and starring...Mark Steel
With additional material from Pete Sinclair
Production Coordinator...Beverly Tagg
Producer...Julia McKenzie
A BBC Studios Production.

Blyth, Northumberland

"I've done loads of these, but I've never done one where I couldn't get into my dressing room because of monkeys."In the last episode of the series, Mark visits the British overseas territory of Gibraltar where he performs in the spectacular setting of St Michael's Cave, inside The Rock. He explores Gibraltar's relationship with Spain, visits a British phone box, has some British fish and chips and encounters some not so British monkeys. Mark Steel's seventh series of the award winning show that travels around the country, researching the history, heritage and culture of six towns that have nothing in common but their uniqueness, and performs a bespoke evening of comedy for the local residents. A BBC Radio Comedy production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in 2016.

Gibraltar

Don't mention the goats!Mark visits the lovely seaside towns of Lynton and Lynmouth in North Devon, lovely that is until he mentions the goats, then the rest of the show doesn't go entirely to plan. Mark Steel's seventh series of the award winning show that travels around the country, researching the history, heritage and culture of six towns that have nothing in common but their uniqueness, and performs a bespoke evening of comedy for the local residents. Written and performed by ... Mark Steel
Additional material by ... Pete Sinclair
Production co-ordinator ... Hayley Stirling
Producer ... Carl CooperA BBC Radio Comedy production first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2016. .

Lynton and Lynmouth

Mark visits The Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames. He takes a trip on a river boat, rides the longest single truss escalator in the world and spends an evening in and the suburb of New Malden, home to the largest population of South Koreans outside Korea where he samples the delights of Kimchi and sings in a Noraebang. Mark Steel's seventh series of the award winning show that travels around the country, researching the history, heritage and culture of six towns that have nothing in common but their uniqueness, and performs a bespoke evening of comedy for the local residents. Written and performed by ... Mark Steel
Additional material by ... Pete Sinclair
Production co-ordinator ... Hayley Stirling
Producer ... Carl CooperA BBC Radio Comedy production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in 2016..

Kingston-upon-Thames

"That was So Hebden Bridge" Mark visits the beautiful Yorkshire town of Hebden Bridge, where he discovers how this former mill town and one time home of Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath become the new age, multi cafe, hippie friendly, lesbian capital of Britain that it is today.Mark Steel's award winning show that travels around the country, researching the history, heritage and culture of six towns that have nothing in common but their uniqueness, and performs a bespoke evening of comedy for the local residents. Written and performed by ... Mark Steel
Additional material by ... Pete Sinclair
Production co-ordinator ... Hayley Stirling
Producer ... Carl CooperA BBC Radio Comedy production first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2016.

Hebden Bridge

Colchester - The oldest recorded town in BritainMark Steel returns for a seventh series of the award-winning show that travels around the country, researching the history, heritage and culture of six towns that have nothing in common but their uniqueness, and performs a bespoke evening of comedy for the local residents. "The oldest hot cross bun in the world was baked in Colchester"Mark visits the Essex town of Colchester and walks through the streets where 'Emperor Claudius once rode triumphantly on the first elephant in Britain', before Boudicca burnt the place to the ground, that was. He visits 'Jumbo', the town's iconic, Victorian water tower and he delves into the history of Colchester Zoo. Mark also discovers how several nursery rhymes have their origins in Colchester and he investigates the town's rivalry with Chelmsford. In this series Mark visits Stockport in Greater Manchester, Colchester in Essex, Hebden Bridge in Yorkshire, The Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames, Lynton in North Devon and the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. Written and performed by ... Mark Steel
Additional material by ... Pete Sinclair
Production co-ordinator ... Hayley Stirling
Producer ... Carl CooperA BBC Radio Comedy production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in 2016. .

Colchester

"Welcome to Stockport - Home of Stockport College"Mark Steel returns for a seventh series of the award winning show that travels around the country, researching the history, heritage and culture of six towns that have nothing in common but their uniqueness, and performs a bespoke evening of comedy for the local residents. In the first programme, Mark visits the Greater Manchester town of Stockport, once the centre of the hatting industry. He takes a trip on the infamous 192 bus, visits the world famous hat museum and tries to get to the bottom of how one of its suburbs ended up with an infestation of marauding peacocks. In this series Mark visits Stockport in Greater Manchester, Colchester in Essex, Hebden Bridge in Yorkshire, The Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames, Lynton in North Devon and the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. Written and performed by ... Mark Steel
Additional material by ... Pete Sinclair
Production co-ordinator ... Hayley Sterling
Producer ... Carl CooperA BBC Studios production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in 2016.