AN AWARD-WINNING TV and film writer and producer will bring his poetry tour to Ilkley this Spring.

Henry Normal has worked on some of the country’s best-loved television programmes with his co-writing credits including the likes of The Royle Family, Mrs Merton and Coogan’s Run.

As co-founder and MD of Baby Cow Productions, which he set up with comedian and actor Steve Coogan, he has also produced Gavin and Stacey, Alan Partridge, Moone Boy, Uncle, The Mighty Boosh, Nighty Night and the Oscar-nominated film Philomena.

Before his illustrious TV career, Henry toured as a performance poet with Pulp and new wave bands along with stand-up greats like Linda Smith and literary giants including Seamus Heaney, travelling widely.

Now he has returned to his first love of poetry in a move that has been inspired by his experiences bringing up his autistic son, Johnny. His brand new live show The Escape Plan is touring in theatres around the country and draws on over 40 years of work, featuring stories, jokes and poems from his successful BBC Radio 4 series and his seven poetry collections.

Henry’s latest poetry book - of the same name - is his eighth published collection and will be released on March 16. The hardback volume includes more than 250 of his favourite and most popular poems. A Normal Universe, meanwhile, is the name of his upcoming BBC Radio 4 show. The sixth instalment of an acclaimed series which sees him use poetry, storytelling and comedy to explore life’s big questions, it will be broadcast on March 17.

The series started with A Normal Family in 2016, which centred around Johnny and what his autism diagnosis meant for the family. The show was well-received which led to further episodes and the commissioning of Henry’s best-selling book, A Normal Family: Everyday adventures with our autistic son, which he co-wrote with his wife Angela Pell.

Audiences will be able to see him in a 90 minute show that is being billed as ‘an evening of pure escape with stories, jokes and poems’ at the King’s Hall, Ilkley, on Tuesday, May 12. The performance starts at 8pm and tickets cost £16.50. For more details visit www.bradford-theatres.co.uk/venues/kings-hall-ilkley.