diff --git a/apps/client/src/common/utils/__tests__/styleUtils.test.ts b/apps/client/src/common/utils/__tests__/styleUtils.test.ts
index 0fe9c05f6..f5d753759 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/common/utils/__tests__/styleUtils.test.ts
+++ b/apps/client/src/common/utils/__tests__/styleUtils.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { cx } from '../styleUtils';
+import { cx, getAccessibleColour } from '../styleUtils';
 
 import style from './styleUtils.module.scss';
 
@@ -13,3 +13,24 @@ describe('cx()', () => {
     expect(merged).toMatchSnapshot();
   });
 });
+
+describe('getAccessibleColour()', () => {
+  it('handles named colours', () => {
+    const colour = 'red';
+    const { backgroundColor, color } = getAccessibleColour(colour);
+    expect(backgroundColor).toBe('#FF0000FF');
+    expect(color).toBe('#fffffa');
+  });
+  it('handles hex colours', () => {
+    const colour = '#0F0';
+    const { backgroundColor, color } = getAccessibleColour(colour);
+    expect(backgroundColor).toBe('#00FF00FF');
+    expect(color).toBe('black');
+  });
+  it('handles transparens', () => {
+    const colour = '#0F08';
+    const { backgroundColor, color } = getAccessibleColour(colour);
+    expect(backgroundColor).toBe('#0C940CFF');
+    expect(color).toBe('#fffffa');
+  });
+});
diff --git a/apps/client/src/common/utils/styleUtils.ts b/apps/client/src/common/utils/styleUtils.ts
index 5453221f7..a7bbbd7a2 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/common/utils/styleUtils.ts
+++ b/apps/client/src/common/utils/styleUtils.ts
@@ -13,13 +13,15 @@ type ColourCombination = {
 export const getAccessibleColour = (bgColour?: string): ColourCombination => {
   if (bgColour) {
     try {
-      const textColor = Color(bgColour).isLight() ? 'black' : '#fffffa';
-      return { backgroundColor: bgColour, color: textColor };
+      const originalColour = Color(bgColour);
+      const backgroundColorMix = originalColour.alpha(1).mix(Color('#1a1a1a'), 1 - originalColour.alpha());
+      const textColor = backgroundColorMix.isLight() ? 'black' : '#fffffa';
+      return { backgroundColor: backgroundColorMix.hexa(), color: textColor };
     } catch (_error) {
       /* we do not handle errors here */
     }
   }
-  return { backgroundColor: '#000', color: '#fffffa' };
+  return { backgroundColor: '#1a1a1a', color: '#fffffa' };
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/apps/client/src/features/cuesheet/Cuesheet.tsx b/apps/client/src/features/cuesheet/Cuesheet.tsx
index e9e00ed6a..bd9ed3358 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/features/cuesheet/Cuesheet.tsx
+++ b/apps/client/src/features/cuesheet/Cuesheet.tsx
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { isOntimeBlock, isOntimeDelay, isOntimeEvent, OntimeRundown, OntimeRundo
 
 import useFollowComponent from '../../common/hooks/useFollowComponent';
 import { useLocalStorage } from '../../common/hooks/useLocalStorage';
+import { getAccessibleColour } from '../../common/utils/styleUtils';
 
 import BlockRow from './cuesheet-table-elements/BlockRow';
 import CuesheetHeader from './cuesheet-table-elements/CuesheetHeader';
@@ -120,8 +121,8 @@ export default function Cuesheet({ data, columns, handleUpdate, selectedId }: Cu
                 } else if (row.original.colour) {
                   try {
                     // the colour is user defined and might be invalid
-                    const colour = new Color(row.original.colour).alpha(0.25);
-                    rowBgColour = colour.hsl().string();
+                    const accessibleBackgroundColor = Color(getAccessibleColour(row.original.colour).backgroundColor);
+                    rowBgColour = accessibleBackgroundColor.fade(0.75).hexa();
                   } catch (_error) {
                     /* we do not handle errors here */
                   }
diff --git a/apps/client/src/features/cuesheet/cuesheet-table-elements/EventRow.tsx b/apps/client/src/features/cuesheet/cuesheet-table-elements/EventRow.tsx
index 3e575f42b..61bdba737 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/features/cuesheet/cuesheet-table-elements/EventRow.tsx
+++ b/apps/client/src/features/cuesheet/cuesheet-table-elements/EventRow.tsx
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ function EventRow(props: PropsWithChildren<EventRowProps>) {
   const ownRef = useRef<HTMLTableRowElement>(null);
   const [isVisible, setIsVisible] = useState(false);
 
-  const bgColour = colour;
-  const textColour = getAccessibleColour(bgColour);
+  const textColour = getAccessibleColour(colour);
+  const bgColour = textColour.backgroundColor;
 
   useLayoutEffect(() => {
     const observer = new IntersectionObserver(
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ function EventRow(props: PropsWithChildren<EventRowProps>) {
       style={{ opacity: `${isPast ? pastOpacity : '1'}` }}
       ref={selectedRef ?? ownRef}
     >
-      <td className={style.indexColumn} style={{ backgroundColor: bgColour, color: textColour?.color }}>
+      <td className={style.indexColumn} style={{ backgroundColor: bgColour, color: textColour.color }}>
         {eventIndex}
       </td>
       {isVisible ? children : null}
diff --git a/apps/server/src/controllers/integrationController.config.ts b/apps/server/src/controllers/integrationController.config.ts
index 27b93744c..6f43ac5f4 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/controllers/integrationController.config.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/controllers/integrationController.config.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 import { LogOrigin, OntimeEvent } from 'ontime-types';
 import { EventLoader } from '../classes/event-loader/EventLoader.js';
 import { editEvent } from '../services/rundown-service/RundownService.js';
-import { coerceString, coerceNumber, coerceBoolean } from '../utils/coerceType.js';
+import { coerceString, coerceNumber, coerceBoolean, coerceColour } from '../utils/coerceType.js';
 import { logger } from '../classes/Logger.js';
+import { isKeyOfType, isOntimeEvent } from 'ontime-types/src/utils/guards.js';
 
 const whitelistedPayload = {
   title: coerceString,
@@ -16,7 +17,8 @@ const whitelistedPayload = {
   isPublic: coerceBoolean,
   skip: coerceBoolean,
 
-  colour: coerceString,
+  colour: coerceColour,
+
   user0: coerceString,
   user1: coerceString,
   user2: coerceString,
@@ -29,12 +31,12 @@ const whitelistedPayload = {
   user9: coerceString,
 };
 
-export function parse(field: string, value: unknown) {
-  if (!Object.hasOwn(whitelistedPayload, field)) {
-    throw new Error(`Field ${field} not permitted`);
+export function parse(property: string, value: unknown) {
+  if (!isKeyOfType(property, whitelistedPayload)) {
+    throw new Error(`Property ${property} not permitted`);
   }
-  const parserFn = whitelistedPayload[field];
-  return parserFn(value);
+  const parserFn = whitelistedPayload[property];
+  return { parsedProperty: property, parsedPayload: parserFn(value) };
 }
 
 /**
@@ -49,8 +51,10 @@ export function updateEvent(
   newValue: OntimeEvent[typeof propertyName],
 ) {
   const event = EventLoader.getEventWithId(eventId);
-
   if (event) {
+    if (!isOntimeEvent(event)) {
+      throw new Error(`Can only update events`);
+    }
     const propertiesToUpdate = { [propertyName]: newValue };
 
     // Handles the special case for duration
diff --git a/apps/server/src/controllers/integrationController.ts b/apps/server/src/controllers/integrationController.ts
index 243d60b65..e95acab7b 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/controllers/integrationController.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/controllers/integrationController.ts
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@ import { messageService } from '../services/message-service/MessageService.js';
 import { PlaybackService } from '../services/PlaybackService.js';
 import { eventStore } from '../stores/EventStore.js';
 import { parse, updateEvent } from './integrationController.config.js';
-import { isKeyOfType } from 'ontime-types/src/utils/guards.js';
-import { event } from '../models/eventsDefinition.js';
 
 export type ChangeOptions = {
   eventId: string;
@@ -272,11 +270,8 @@ export function dispatchFromAdapter(
     // WS: {type: 'change', payload: { eventId, property, value } }
     case 'change': {
       const { eventId, property, value } = payload as ChangeOptions;
-      if (!isKeyOfType(property, event)) {
-        throw new Error(`Cannot update unknown event property ${property}`);
-      }
-      const parsedPayload = parse(property, value);
-      return updateEvent(eventId, property, parsedPayload);
+      const { parsedPayload, parsedProperty } = parse(property, value);
+      return updateEvent(eventId, parsedProperty, parsedPayload);
     }
 
     default: {
diff --git a/apps/server/src/utils/__tests__/coerceType.test.ts b/apps/server/src/utils/__tests__/coerceType.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..eeaa43b37
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/server/src/utils/__tests__/coerceType.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+import { coerceColour } from '../coerceType.js';
+
+describe('parses a colour string that is', () => {
+  it('valid hex', () => {
+    const color = coerceColour('#000');
+    expect(color).toBe('#000');
+  });
+  it('valid name', () => {
+    const color = coerceColour('darkgoldenrod');
+    expect(color).toBe('darkgoldenrod');
+  });
+  it('invalid hex', () => {
+    expect(() => coerceColour('#not a hex color')).toThrowError(Error('Invalid hex colour received'));
+  });
+  it('invalid name', () => {
+    expect(() => coerceColour('bad name')).toThrowError(Error('Invalid colour name received'));
+  });
+  it('not a string', () => {
+    expect(() => coerceColour(5)).toThrowError(Error('Invalid colour value received'));
+  });
+});
diff --git a/apps/server/src/utils/coerceType.ts b/apps/server/src/utils/coerceType.ts
index ff0dd8563..8360f3db2 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/utils/coerceType.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/utils/coerceType.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
+import { isColourHex } from 'ontime-utils';
+
+//TODO: write tests
 /**
- * @description Converts a value to a number if possible, throws otherwise
+ * @description Converts a value to a string if possible, throws otherwise
  * @param {unknown} value - Value to be converted to a string.
  * @returns {string} - The converted value as a string.
  * @throws {Error} Throws an error if the value is null or undefined.
@@ -11,8 +14,9 @@ export function coerceString(value: unknown): string {
   return String(value);
 }
 
+//TODO: write tests
 /**
- * @description Converts a value to a number if possible, throws otherwise
+ * @description Converts a value to a boolean if possible, throws otherwise
  * @param {unknown} value - Value to be converted to a boolean.
  * @returns {boolean} - The converted value as a boolean.
  * @throws {Error} Throws an error if the value is null or undefined.
@@ -21,9 +25,26 @@ export function coerceBoolean(value: unknown): boolean {
   if (value == null) {
     throw new Error('Invalid value received');
   }
+  if (typeof value === 'string') {
+    const lowerCaseValue = value.toLocaleLowerCase();
+    switch (lowerCaseValue) {
+      case 'true':
+      case '1':
+      case 'yes':
+        return true;
+      case 'false':
+      case '0':
+      case 'no':
+      case '':
+        return false;
+      default:
+        throw new Error('Invalid value received');
+    }
+  }
   return Boolean(value);
 }
 
+//TODO: write tests
 /**
  * @description Converts a value to a number if possible, throws otherwise
  * @param {unknown} value - Value to be converted to a number.
@@ -40,3 +61,176 @@ export function coerceNumber(value: unknown): number {
   }
   return parsedValue;
 }
+
+/**
+ * @description Converts a value to a colour if possible, throws otherwise
+ * @param {unknown} value - Value to be converted to a colour.
+ * @returns {string} - The converted value as a string.
+ * @throws {Error} Throws an error if the value is null or undefined.
+ */
+export function coerceColour(value: unknown): string {
+  if (typeof value !== 'string') {
+    throw new Error('Invalid colour value received');
+  }
+  const lowerCaseValue = value.toLocaleLowerCase();
+  if (lowerCaseValue.startsWith('#')) {
+    if (!isColourHex(lowerCaseValue)) {
+      throw new Error('Invalid hex colour received');
+    }
+  } else if (!(lowerCaseValue in cssColours)) {
+    throw new Error('Invalid colour name received');
+  }
+  return lowerCaseValue;
+}
+
+//https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/CSS/named-color
+const cssColours = {
+  aliceblue: '#f0f8ff',
+  antiquewhite: '#faebd7',
+  aqua: '#00ffff',
+  aquamarine: '#7fffd4',
+  azure: '#f0ffff',
+  beige: '#f5f5dc',
+  bisque: '#ffe4c4',
+  black: '#000000',
+  blanchedalmond: '#ffebcd',
+  blue: '#0000ff',
+  blueviolet: '#8a2be2',
+  brown: '#a52a2a',
+  burlywood: '#deb887',
+  cadetblue: '#5f9ea0',
+  chartreuse: '#7fff00',
+  chocolate: '#d2691e',
+  coral: '#ff7f50',
+  cornflowerblue: '#6495ed',
+  cornsilk: '#fff8dc',
+  crimson: '#dc143c',
+  cyan: '#00ffff',
+  darkblue: '#00008b',
+  darkcyan: '#008b8b',
+  darkgoldenrod: '#b8860b',
+  darkgray: '#a9a9a9',
+  darkgreen: '#006400',
+  darkgrey: '#a9a9a9',
+  darkkhaki: '#bdb76b',
+  darkmagenta: '#8b008b',
+  darkolivegreen: '#556b2f',
+  darkorange: '#ff8c00',
+  darkorchid: '#9932cc',
+  darkred: '#8b0000',
+  darksalmon: '#e9967a',
+  darkseagreen: '#8fbc8f',
+  darkslateblue: '#483d8b',
+  darkslategray: '#2f4f4f',
+  darkslategrey: '#2f4f4f',
+  darkturquoise: '#00ced1',
+  darkviolet: '#9400d3',
+  deeppink: '#ff1493',
+  deepskyblue: '#00bfff',
+  dimgray: '#696969',
+  dimgrey: '#696969',
+  dodgerblue: '#1e90ff',
+  firebrick: '#b22222',
+  floralwhite: '#fffaf0',
+  forestgreen: '#228b22',
+  fuchsia: '#ff00ff',
+  gainsboro: '#dcdcdc',
+  ghostwhite: '#f8f8ff',
+  goldenrod: '#daa520',
+  gold: '#ffd700',
+  gray: '#808080',
+  green: '#008000',
+  greenyellow: '#adff2f',
+  grey: '#808080',
+  honeydew: '#f0fff0',
+  hotpink: '#ff69b4',
+  indianred: '#cd5c5c',
+  indigo: '#4b0082',
+  ivory: '#fffff0',
+  khaki: '#f0e68c',
+  lavenderblush: '#fff0f5',
+  lavender: '#e6e6fa',
+  lawngreen: '#7cfc00',
+  lemonchiffon: '#fffacd',
+  lightblue: '#add8e6',
+  lightcoral: '#f08080',
+  lightcyan: '#e0ffff',
+  lightgoldenrodyellow: '#fafad2',
+  lightgray: '#d3d3d3',
+  lightgreen: '#90ee90',
+  lightgrey: '#d3d3d3',
+  lightpink: '#ffb6c1',
+  lightsalmon: '#ffa07a',
+  lightseagreen: '#20b2aa',
+  lightskyblue: '#87cefa',
+  lightslategray: '#778899',
+  lightslategrey: '#778899',
+  lightsteelblue: '#b0c4de',
+  lightyellow: '#ffffe0',
+  lime: '#00ff00',
+  limegreen: '#32cd32',
+  linen: '#faf0e6',
+  magenta: '#ff00ff',
+  maroon: '#800000',
+  mediumaquamarine: '#66cdaa',
+  mediumblue: '#0000cd',
+  mediumorchid: '#ba55d3',
+  mediumpurple: '#9370db',
+  mediumseagreen: '#3cb371',
+  mediumslateblue: '#7b68ee',
+  mediumspringgreen: '#00fa9a',
+  mediumturquoise: '#48d1cc',
+  mediumvioletred: '#c71585',
+  midnightblue: '#191970',
+  mintcream: '#f5fffa',
+  mistyrose: '#ffe4e1',
+  moccasin: '#ffe4b5',
+  navajowhite: '#ffdead',
+  navy: '#000080',
+  oldlace: '#fdf5e6',
+  olive: '#808000',
+  olivedrab: '#6b8e23',
+  orange: '#ffa500',
+  orangered: '#ff4500',
+  orchid: '#da70d6',
+  palegoldenrod: '#eee8aa',
+  palegreen: '#98fb98',
+  paleturquoise: '#afeeee',
+  palevioletred: '#db7093',
+  papayawhip: '#ffefd5',
+  peachpuff: '#ffdab9',
+  peru: '#cd853f',
+  pink: '#ffc0cb',
+  plum: '#dda0dd',
+  powderblue: '#b0e0e6',
+  purple: '#800080',
+  rebeccapurple: '#663399',
+  red: '#ff0000',
+  rosybrown: '#bc8f8f',
+  royalblue: '#4169e1',
+  saddlebrown: '#8b4513',
+  salmon: '#fa8072',
+  sandybrown: '#f4a460',
+  seagreen: '#2e8b57',
+  seashell: '#fff5ee',
+  sienna: '#a0522d',
+  silver: '#c0c0c0',
+  skyblue: '#87ceeb',
+  slateblue: '#6a5acd',
+  slategray: '#708090',
+  slategrey: '#708090',
+  snow: '#fffafa',
+  springgreen: '#00ff7f',
+  steelblue: '#4682b4',
+  tan: '#d2b48c',
+  teal: '#008080',
+  thistle: '#d8bfd8',
+  tomato: '#ff6347',
+  turquoise: '#40e0d0',
+  violet: '#ee82ee',
+  wheat: '#f5deb3',
+  white: '#ffffff',
+  whitesmoke: '#f5f5f5',
+  yellow: '#ffff00',
+  yellowgreen: '#9acd3',
+} as const;
diff --git a/packages/utils/index.ts b/packages/utils/index.ts
index ac0060d56..aeb363dc7 100644
--- a/packages/utils/index.ts
+++ b/packages/utils/index.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ export { formatDisplay } from './src/date-utils/formatDisplay.js';
 export { formatFromMillis } from './src/date-utils/formatFromMillis.js';
 export { isTimeString } from './src/date-utils/isTimeString.js';
 export { millisToString } from './src/date-utils/millisToString.js';
+export { isColourHex } from './src/regex-utils/isColourHex.js';
 
 // time utils
 export { dayInMs, mts } from './src/timeConstants.js';
diff --git a/packages/utils/package.json b/packages/utils/package.json
index 96d41f8ce..7ead3ab0f 100644
--- a/packages/utils/package.json
+++ b/packages/utils/package.json
@@ -28,5 +28,6 @@
     "prettier": "^3.0.3",
     "typescript": "^5.2.2",
     "vitest": "^0.30.1"
-  }
+  },
+  "sideEffects": false
 }
diff --git a/packages/utils/src/regex-utils/isColourHex.test.ts b/packages/utils/src/regex-utils/isColourHex.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..eeb525e14
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/utils/src/regex-utils/isColourHex.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+import { isColourHex } from './isColourHex';
+
+describe('test isColourHex() function', () => {
+  it('it validates colour hex strings', () => {
+    const ts = ['#FFF', '#FFFF', '#FFFFFF', '#FFFFFFFF'];
+    for (const s of ts) {
+      expect(isColourHex(s)).toBe(true);
+    }
+  });
+
+  it('it validates colour hex strings', () => {
+    const ts = ['#F90', '#1234', '#56789A', '#BCDEF012'];
+    for (const s of ts) {
+      expect(isColourHex(s)).toBe(true);
+    }
+  });
+
+  it('it validates colour hex strings', () => {
+    const ts = ['#f90', '#1234', '#56789a', '#bcdef012'];
+    for (const s of ts) {
+      expect(isColourHex(s)).toBe(true);
+    }
+  });
+
+  it('it fails digits bigger than F', () => {
+    const ts = ['#FFG'];
+    for (const s of ts) {
+      expect(isColourHex(s)).toBe(false);
+    }
+  });
+
+  it('it fails incorect amout of digits', () => {
+    const ts = ['#F', '#FF', '#FFFFF', '#FFFFFFF', '#FFFFFFFFF'];
+    for (const s of ts) {
+      expect(isColourHex(s)).toBe(false);
+    }
+  });
+
+  it('it fails missing #', () => {
+    const ts = ['FFF', 'FFFF', 'FFFFFF', 'FFFFFFFF'];
+    for (const s of ts) {
+      expect(isColourHex(s)).toBe(false);
+    }
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/utils/src/regex-utils/isColourHex.ts b/packages/utils/src/regex-utils/isColourHex.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5bba772f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/utils/src/regex-utils/isColourHex.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+/**
+ * @description Validates a colour hex string
+ * @param {string} text - colour hex string "#FFF" | "#FFFF" | "#FFFFFF" | "#FFFFFFFF"
+ * @returns {boolean} string represents time
+ */
+export const isColourHex = (text: string): boolean => {
+  const regexS = /^#((?:[a-f\d]{1}){3,4})$/i;
+  const regexD = /^#((?:[a-f\d]{2}){3,4})$/i;
+  return regexS.test(text) || regexD.test(text);
+};