Meet the comedian celebrating 100 years of the shipping forecast

Charlie Connelley, a comedian and bestselling author, is returning to his hometown after 15 years to host a show about the shipping forecast ahead of its centenary at Colchester Arts Centre. 

Inspired by his bestselling book, which has sold more than 250,000 copies worldwide, this show takes the audience from Viking to South-East Iceland to ensure the shipping forecast will never sound the same again.

On October 25, Charlie will be performing a one-man stand up show ready to set the whole seated audience into fits of laughter.

Charlie speaks about why he is celebrating such an event.

He said: "Like any radio show or programme turning 100 years old, it's something worth celebrating.

"What makes the show is that I think it represents the best of us as people and it has a lot of cultural significance attached to it.

"It's there to save lives and share weather information, it really does save people from being sent down to Davy Jones' locker."

He adds that the shipping forecast is an important part of his ancestry and heritage.

Charlie said: "There are a lot of seafarers in my ancestry, there are a lot of undistinguished records of sinkings and mishaps, and let's say incompetence.

"A lot of them were saved by lifeboats and the forecast is part of the system that saves lives around the sea.

"I am grateful to the forecast as without it I probably wouldn't even be here."

Tickets for the venue are pay what you can, as a part of the Arts Centre's Wonderful Wednesdays.

Charlie said: "People are more likely to take a punt on a show if it's pay what you can, especially with cost of living crisis it's a really good idea.

"It benefits the venue, the artist and the city itself and really goes to show what a community asset the Arts Centre is."

Doors open at 7.30pm and the show begins at 8pm.

For more information and to book head to: www.colchesterartscentre.com/events