TV icon and award-winning broadcaster Terry Christian is coming to Shrewsbury this summer with a one-man show that dives headfirst into the wild world of The Word: the 90s television phenomenon that shook up late-night broadcasting.

As part of the Shrewsbury International Comedy Festival (SICF), Terry will take the stage at St Mary’s Church in the town centre on Friday 11 July. Audiences can expect stand-up, stories, behind-the-scenes secrets and rarely seen video clips from one of the most chaotic and cult-loved shows in 90s TV history, all followed by an unfiltered Q&A session.

A Night of 90s Nostalgia

First launched in 1990 on Channel 4, The Word redefined youth TV. With a mix of anarchic interviews, alternative music, controversial guests and bizarre stunts, it became essential Friday night viewing for a generation. The show featured bands like Nirvana, Oasis and Snoop Dogg, while also hosting big-name guests like Whitney Houston, Dave Chappelle and Bill Hicks.

Terry Christian, as the show’s straight-faced host, was right at the heart of it all.

For those… ahem… of a certain age, The Word was compulsive Friday night viewing

said SICF co-director Beth McGowan.

Mildly chaotic at times; I think everyone remembers Oliver Reed’s drunken performance of Wild Thing; Terry Christian seemed to hold it all together with a sardonic grin and Mancunian drawl. It was great TV and I’m really looking forward to him recounting those heady days of the early-90s.


From The Word to the Stage

Since his days on The Word, Terry Christian has never really left our screens or airwaves. He finished second on Celebrity Big Brother in 2009, reached the quarter-final of Celebrity MasterChef, and won Celebrity Mastermind. He has also appeared on shows like 8 out of 10 Cats, Would I Lie to You, Have I Got News For You, and Room 101.

In recent years, he’s taken his sharp wit to the stage as a stand-up comic. The Huffington Post called him “a natural and fantastically self-deprecating stand-up” and praised his transition to live performance as a welcome reinvention.

Festival Highlights

Terry’s show is part of a packed SICF line-up that includes performances across venues like St Mary’s Church, The Henry Tudor Inn, The Loft at The Old Post Office, and the brand new Red Brick on Castle Street. Featured acts include Mick Miller, Nina Gilligan, Tony Law, Sally-Anne Hayward, Stella Graham, Tez Ilyas, Troy Hawke, and many more.

The festival concludes with a star-studded gala show at Theatre Severn on Sunday 13 July, featuring a Live at the Apollo-style format with acts including Abandoman, Cally Beaton, Tez Ilyas, Lindsey Santoro, Troy Hawke, and MC Scott Bennett.

How to Book

🎟️ Tickets for Terry Christian: The Word Live Show
🗓️ Date: Friday 11 July
📍 Venue: St Mary’s Church, Shrewsbury
💷 Price: £25.00
📞 Box office: 01743 281281
🔗 Buy tickets here