In which English town was Sam Fender born?

Sam Fender was born in the English town of North Shields.

Fender was born Samuel Thomas Fender on 25 April 1994, and grew up in North Shields, in Tyne and Wear in North East England. The town is part of the wider Tyneside area and is associated with the Geordie cultural identity reflected in Fender’s accent and songwriting.

North Shields is more than a biographical footnote in Fender’s career. His songs often draw on working-class life, family experiences, mental health, social problems and the pressures facing communities in North East England. His hometown also appears as an important backdrop to the themes of his albums, especially Seventeen Going Under.

The most likely confusion is with nearby places. Sunderland and Middlesbrough are also North East English towns, while South Shields lies across the River Tyne from North Shields. They are separate towns, despite their similar names and shared regional setting. Fender attended school in nearby Preston and Whitley Bay, but his birthplace is North Shields.