A Southend poet who reached the final of a national TV talent show will see one of his latest pieces screened to millions of viewers after tonight’s England match (June 10).
Sonny Green, a spoken word artist from Southend-on-Sea who made the Britain’s Got Talent 2026 final, has announced that ITV1 will air his new poem immediately after the England v Costa Rica friendly.
The game was scheduled to kick off at 9pm, but due to adverse weather will now likely kick off at 10pm UK time.
The piece, titled What It Means To Dream, was filmed in Cluny Square in Southend, where Green recorded his first song in 2011, and will form part of the broadcaster’s coverage to launch the World Cup 2026.
In a social media post, Green said returning to Cluny Square for the recording felt particularly significant because it was the place that first gave him a platform as a teenager.
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He explained that the shoot was also a tribute to the former community centre Connexions and youth workers including Kevin Walsh and Chris Sollis, who he says helped nurture his talent when he was 14 and 15 and “getting in trouble all the time”.
Green said their support, which included securing him studio time and encouraging him to stick with writing and performing, stopped him from giving up on himself, and he has dedicated the televised poem to them.
He described What It Means To Dream as a piece about hope and perseverance and urged viewers to stay tuned after the final whistle to see the full performance.
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