THIS YEAR’S Bewdley Festival kicked off with a bang with a visit from a Coronation Street legend.
Mikey North, who played Gary Windass on the iconic ITV soap, took to the stage at St George’s Hall on Sunday for a conversation about his life and career.
And the Rovers Return regular was full of praise for the town and its arts festival.
The star spoke about his early career, his life on the Cobbles, his fascination with pyramids, and how his ginger hair helped him get his big break in show business.
After the event, Mikey posted a video message on social media reflecting on his time at the festival.
He said: “I want to say a big thank you to everyone at Bewdley Festival for having me.
“I had an amazing time, and this is an amazing festival.
“I love the variety of acts at the festival and it’s been great to be a part of it.”
A spokesperson for the Bewdley Festival said the evening was a great way to spend a Sunday, with the question and answer session being a funny and lively experience between Mikey and the audience.
The spokesperson added the soap star gave the audience great insights and stayed to chat to the crowd.
Now in its 37th year, the Bewdley Festival is an annual, near-month-long celebration of the arts.
It kicked off on last Friday and has already seen a variety of big names take part, including comedian Ria Lina, who took to the stage at St George’s on Monday.
The festival kicked off with a performance from blues guitarist Toby Lee, who has previously performed alongside the likes of Jools Holland.
The Bewdley Festival will run throughout October, with the final event taking place on Sunday, October 26.
A festival arts exhibition will run at the Bewdley Museum until Monday, October 27.
