Margate

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 Wilde

A 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 Cooper

A BBC Studios Audio production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in June 2024.