HE is a popular actor, comedian, author, poet, television presenter and DJ - and he's heading for Southampton.

Craig Charles has continuously toured ‘The Craig Charles Funk and Soul Club’ since 2008, bringing live DJ sets to nightclubs, festivals, and special events throughout the UK and beyond.

Now his spring and summer tour will included The Engine Rooms on June 15.

Craig plays a mixture of well-known, classic funk and soul tracks, usually covered and remixed by current leading bands and DJs, along with the latest new danceable songs.

He said: “The Craig Charles Funk & Soul Club does exactly what it says on the tin: It’s high-octane good time music. It’s two pounds of funk in a one pound bag. I play funk and soul music and try to mix it up. I play a lot of psychedelic soul like Sandie Shaw’s version of Sympathy for the Devil and The Voices of East Harlem’s Run Shaker Run.

“I also play more heavy beats, afro beats and the like. People come for a good time. It’s a chilled out crowd. People are there for the music and lot of the people who come are generally quite knowledgeable about music. We get a lot of young people at the shows but there’s a vast age range. Older cats can come and step out too.”

Craig's previous residencies include Band on the Wall in Manchester, The Wardrobe and The Elbow Room in Leeds, Bloomsbury Bowling Lanes and Brixton Jamm in London, and The Lanes and Motion in Bristol.

He has also taken to the stage at festivals including Glastonbury, Kendall Calling, The Cheltenham Jazz Festival, and the Wickerman Festival.

He added: “I love doing the Craig Charles Funk and soul show and my live DJ sets. It’s not really a job; it’s like getting to go to a really good party and getting choose all the music as well.”