Two vicars are set to become the city’s answer to Richard and Judy by hosting a daytime TV-style event at Bradford Cathedral to spread the message of the gospel.

Reverend Canons Robin Gamble and Sue Hope will host three discussions on the themes of meaning, pain and hope at the cathedral next month.

The sessions, which will include music, images and interviews, follow several other unconventional attempts at spreading the Christian message by Mr Gamble, dubbed the Rockin’ Reverend.

In the past he has led a rock mass at the cathedral and an impromptu candle-lit service to club-goers outside Virgin Megastore in Bradford city centre. He has also used cartoon characters, such as Bart Simpson, and music by Queen and famously set up the world’s first Christian pub, The Cock and Bottle, in Barkerend Road.

Of the forthcoming event, Mr Gamble, priest-in-charge of Holy Trinity, Idle, said: “This really is a new way of doing evangelism. You need to think Richard and Judy rather than the old style of one-man preaching. It will be very relaxed, with interviews, music and lots of visual stuff. In short a great night out!

“We will be looking at issues that are particularly relevant to Bradford people. On the first night we’re starting with the hole in the centre of Bradford, and asking about the holes in people’s lives.

“Bradford faces a lot of challenges. We have high levels of unemployment and poverty here with their knock-on psychological and physical effects. So we want to explore the inner emptiness that so many people feel, the search for meaning and healing – whether that’s psychological or physical.

“It will be a major event in the city with the cathedral packed out every night. Since I’ve been back in Bradford people have been asking me when I’m going to do the next big thing, so, in the words of Michael Jackson, ‘This is it!’”

Miss Hope, who is priest-in-charge at St Paul’s in Shipley, said: “The evenings will be fun but thoughtful.

“They will have a contemporary feel with mixed media presentation and the pace will be short and sharp. Lots of Bradford churches have already signed up for Hope and Gamble, in fact some have booked coaches to bring their people in.”

The events are on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 7, 8 and 9, from 7.30pm.