// BBC ENTERTAINMENT & ARTS — MODA & SOCIETÀ
Craig Charles' tribute to 'city that shaped me'
Craig Charles said his life was transformed after winning a poetry competition at the age of 12
Actor and presenter Craig Charles said his latest work had given him a chance to reflect on the city which shaped him.
Charles' new spoken word piece pays tribute to his home city of Liverpool in honour of National Poetry Day.
His performance coincides with the 50th anniversary of him winning a poetry competition aged 12, which he said had changed his life.
"I was just reacting to what was going on," he said. "Reacting to the riots, reacting to Thatcher, reacting to police harassment, reacting to poverty.
"Liverpool was getting kicked to pieces at that time."
Charles, pictured in Liverpool in 1985, became known for his performance poetry
By the age of 16, Charles was performing at Liverpool's Everyman Bistro basement venue, which was known for its open-mic events.
Within a year, he was performing his poetry on BBC 2 show Riverside.
"I just got stuck into that and started shouting from the rooftops my opinion on things," he said.