Why poet Dr John Cooper Clarke is especially looking forward to his upcoming show at Blackpool Opera House
“There’s something really special about Blackpool and I’m really looking forward to playing there”
Dr John Cooper Clarke is especially looking forward to coming back to Blackpool during his major UK tour later this year.
He’s at the Opera House on Wednesday, November 18 and the first thing he wanted to know as we sat down for a chat was “Will the Illuminations still be on?”
As a lad growing up in Salford, he has plenty of happy memories of trips to the resort and has been back many times as an adult, too, including performing at the Winter Gardens previously to an always appreciative audience.
“It’s a magical place,” he said. “There’s something really special about Blackpool and I’m really looking forward to playing there. It brings back great memories.
“I’ve travelled all over but there is a casino building in Blackpool which really is one of my favourites anywhere.”
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John's anarchic punk poetry has thrilled people for decades and his no-nonsense approach to his work has seen his career spanning cultures, audiences, art forms and continents.
The Salford bard is delighted that his poetry continues to attract bumper audiences, almost 50 years on from him reciting it in the working men’s club around Manchester at the time of the punk culture revolution of the late 1970s.
His career was inspired in part at least by the success of another poet, Pam Ayres, on TV’s Opportunity Knocks, and he continues to extol the virtues of poetry being performed, using his theatre appearances to showcase other poets as well as his own.
A sure sign of the enduring - and increasing - appeal of his shows is that last year saw John achieve an historical feat as he became the first poet to headline a UK arena – the biggest in Europe, Manchester’s Co-op Live.
The celebrated poet also received the prestigious 2025 Northern Music Award in recognition of his influence in the music world.
Now in 2026, he is bringing his latest as well as his greatest work to the stage.
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His eagerly anticipated new release, ‘Have It’, a completely new collection of poetry out in October, will be introduced on the tour alongside his beloved, hilarious and classic fan-favourites.
“I love live shows,” he said. “Getting the audience reaction is instant payback.”
Tickets for his tour dates are on sale now via www.gigsandtours.com and www.johncooperclarke.com.