A COMEDIAN who specialises in visiting towns and regions to give bespoke performances about the area for local residents can be heard giving his take on the Forest of Dean tonight (Thursday, February 14).

Mark Steel’s In Town visited Coleford’s Speech House on December 6, when the comedian examined such topics as ’Vorrest’ doggerel, ‘who killed the bears’, Dennis Potter and our wild boar.

And the results of the comedian’s performance can be heard as part of the ninth series of his popular show on Radio 4 at 6.30pm or online thereafter.

The show was recorded before a live audience at the Speech House Hotel.

On one of the Forest’s favourite sons, Dennis Potter, Steel tweeted last week: “For the show on the Forest of Dean, I watched The Singing Detective. In 1986 I thought it was utterly magnificent, but it’s much better than that.”

Steel found Ruardean difficult to pronounce on his visit and also discussed the Dean Heritage Centre.

He was fascinated by “Vorrest” dialogue, including the racy expression “Fern Ticket” for an assignation in the woods.

But when he broaches the subject of ‘who killed the bears’, he was treated to a cautionary tale from one resident who made just that mistake in the old Roebuck pub in Ruardean Woodside.