Comic helped Liverpool win culture bid

Character comedian Keith Carter is has been cited as one of the main reasons that Liverpool won its bid to be European Capital of Culture in 2008.

The comic, who performs as Scouse scally Nige, was on the bill at a stand-up night at the Rawhide Comedy Club that judges saw on their visit to the city in April.

The chairman of the judging panel, former Royal Opera House supremo Sir Jeremy Isaacs said: "In no other city did I see a stand up comedian whose material was so shocking that one member of the audience wrote to apologise.

"I could only understand one in every three words he said. He helped Liverpool win the bid."

Carter says he was "astonished" to hear that his jokes had such an influence.

"I'm totally blown away and gobsmacked," he said. "I heard that the judges were coming to the show, but I thought that they arrived late. I thought it was a pretty good gig and was happy with it afterwards. This is just totally bizarre."

But slipping into the character of Nige, he added: "That's real sound that. I told Sir Jeremy that Liverpool had culture coming out of its arse. I think that Liverpool should thank me for this. Nothing big. I'm not flash. Maybe a statue,about 20ft or 30ft high. I'll have a spliff in one hand and a Beano in the other."

Keith Carter will be making his debut at The Edinburgh Festival this year in the new Edinburgh Jongleurs with his show - Cigs and Drugs and Rock 'n' Roll.

Published: 5 Jun 2003