The 20-date tour will stretch across the UK with performances in iconic venues such as London’s Palladium, Liverpool’s Philharmonic Hall and Manchester’s O2 Apollo.
One of Britain’s best loved poets Dr John Cooper Clarke has announced a major UK tour for October and November 2026. The 20-date tour will stretch across the UK with performances in iconic venues such as London’s Palladium, Liverpool’s Philharmonic Hall and Manchester’s O2 Apollo.
The Salford Bard will also be releasing a brand-new book titled ‘Have It’ set for Autumn 2026 and follows on from 2024’s ‘WHAT’ – the latter an instant Sunday Times bestseller. His tour will commence on October 7 at Southend Palace Theatre, stopping off at The Palladium on October 15 and Manchester’s 02 Apollo on November 21.
Tickets for Dr John Cooper Clarke in October and November 2026 will be available from Friday, 5 December at 10am via Gigs and Tours and John Cooper Clarke’s website. They’re also available on SeeTickets and Ticketmaster with a presale with Live Nation on some dates available from 9am on Thursday, 4 December.
Dr Clarke’s anarchic punk poetry has thrilled people for decades and his no-nonsense approach to his work has seen his career spanning cultures, audiences, art forms and continents. His critically acclaimed 2020 memoir ‘I Wanna Be Yours’ explored his extraordinary life, filled with remarkable personalities.
2025 has seen him achieve historical feats as he became the first poet to headline a UK arena – the biggest indoor arena in Europe, Manchester’s Co-op Live. The celebrated poet also received the prestigious 2025 Northern Music Award in March of this year in recognition of his influence in the music world.
His latest collection, ‘Have It’, will be a completely new collection of work and follows on from 2024’s ‘WHAT’. Across his 20-date 2026 tour, he will be introducing this new body of work alongside his beloved, hilarious and classic fan-favourites.
As he gears up for the release of a new collection of poetry and the new tour – including his homecoming show at Manchester Apollo – the Bard of Salford spoke to the Manchester Evening News about his five decades in the business and his most memorable moments from his career. You can read the full story here.
How to get tickets:
Tickets for Dr John Cooper Clarke in October 2026 will be available from Friday, 5 December at 10am via www.gigsandtours.com and www.johncooperclarke.com.
A Live Nation presale will also take place on Thursday, 4 December from 9am for a select number of shows. Details can be found on Ticketmaster here.
SeeTickets will also be selling tickets on Friday 5. Prices listed on the platform show seated tickets between £37.95 and £48.95 with booking fees included.
2026 UK Headline Tour Full Dates:
- Wed 7 Oct Southend Palace Theatre
- Sat 10 Oct Poole Lighthouse
- Sun 11 Oct Bristol Beacon
- Wed 14 Oct Brighton Theatre Royal
- Thu 15 Oct London Palladium
- Sat 17 Oct Sheffield City Hall
- Tue 20 Oct Glasgow Pavilion
- Wed 21 Oct Carlisle Old Fire Station
- Fri 23 Oct Stoke-On-Trent Victoria Hall
- Sat 24 Oct Birmingham Town Hall
- Wed 28 Oct Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
- Sat 31 Oct Leeds City Varieties Music Hall
- Wed 4 Nov Whitley Bay The Playhouse
- Fri 6 Nov York Grand Opera House
- Thu 12 Nov Dublin 3 Olympia
- Sun 15 Nov Belfast Mandela Hall
- Wed 18 Nov Blackpool Opera House
- Sat 21 Nov Manchester O2 Apollo
- Wed 25 Nov Leicester De Montfort Hall
- Fri 27 Nov Edinburgh Queens Hall
