Henry Normal and Jan Brierton

Jokes, stories and poetry from Radio 4's reticent poet, writer and TV and Film producer Henry Normal. A new fun packed show featuring his latest collection ‘An Alphabet of Storms’, "Not heard anything that jumps from hilarious to moving in such an intelligent, subtle way as Henry Normal's show" - Radio Times

Suitable for 16 years and over : contains some swearing

Henry Normal - Bio 

Henry is a writer, poet, TV & Film producer, founder of the Manchester Poetry Festival (now the Literature festival) and co-founder of the Nottingham Poetry Festival. 

In June 2017 he was honoured with a special BAFTA for services to Television. 

He co-wrote and script edited the multi-award winning Mrs Merton show and the spin off series Mrs Merton and Malcolm. He also co-created and co-wrote the first series of The Royle Family. 

With Steve Coogan he co-wrote the BAFTA winning Paul and Pauline Calf Video Diaries, Coogan's Run, Tony Ferrino, Doctor Terrible and all three of Steve's live tours and the film The Parole Officer. 

Setting up Baby Cow Productions Ltd in 1990, Henry Executive Produced all and script edited many of the shows of it's 17 and a half year output during his tenure as MD. 

Highlights of the Baby Cow output during his time include the Oscar nominated film Philomena, I believe in Miracles, Gavin and Stacey, Moone Boy, Uncle, Marion and Geof, Nighty Night, The Mighty Boosh, Red Dwarf, Hunderby, Camping and Alan Partridge. 

Since retiring in April 2016, Henry has written and performed 10 x BBC Radio 4 shows combining comedy, poetry and stories about family. His 11th BBC Radio 4 show 'A Normal Journey' will be recorded this autumn. 

Born in St Anne's, Nottingham in 1956, Henry now lives in Fairlight, Nr Hastings with his wife and screenwriter Angela Pell and their son Johnny. 

In April 2018, Two Roads publishers released his book of memoirs 'A Normal Family' which was written with his wife Angela Pell, drawing on his family experience. It immediately became a best seller on Amazon and has already been reprinted. The paperback was released on 21st March 2019. 

Henry performs poetry at Literature Festivals around the UK and has thirteen poetry books available from Flapjack. Most recent are 'Collected Poems Volume 3' which was released in 2023 and 'A Moonless Night ' in 2024.

Jan Brierton

Show description: In her live show Jan Brierton riffs on modern life, love and friendships, wellness and ageing , rage and domestic exasperation .

Jans poems reflect on being a wife, mother, daughter, sister and retired raver.
Her rhythmic poems are all delivered in her Dublin brogue, with a cheeky knowing smile.

Plus lots of stuff about tea, lipstick and biscuits.

Bio:

Dubliner Jan Brierton is a mam, a fashion stylist, and a poet.
Her first collection What Day Is It? Who Gives a F*ck was published in 2021 after Jan’s first ever poem went viral during lockdown.

Everybody Is a Poem: Midlife in Rhymes is Jan’s second collection published by New Island.

In this pocket-sized book Jan riffs on menopause, midlife, the mental load, friendships, relationships, loss, and self-acceptance.

On its release, Jan’s second collection made the top 10 paperback non-fiction book charts.
Plain-speaking and completely relatable, each of these 52 poems are served with Jan’s signature combination of humour, wit, and poignancy.

This is poetry for everybody.

Since the publication of her debut book, Jan has appeared on RTE Nationwide, TV3’s Six OClock show, RTE Radio 1’s Brendan O Connor Show, Ray Darcy Show, 2Fm, 98FM, The Irish Times Women’s podcast and Mamia & Me with Amy Huberman. Jan’s poems have
been shared on social media by Jo Whiley and Emma Barnett (BBC Women’s Hour) with over 30K views.

Jan is the resident poet on the Ray Darcy Show on RTE Radio 1.

With her passion for keeping poetry accessible, Jan’s poems come to life with her engaging live performances. In May 2024 Jan opened with her poetry hero Dr John Cooper Clark in Dublin’s 3 Olympia Theatre, where she debuted her homage to his world famous ‘I Wanna Be Yours’ with her modern love poem ‘You’ll Always Be For Me’

Jan’s live show Wild Words in Dublin’s Ambassador Theatre in Nov 24, celebrated the power of poetry and prose with Donna Ashworth, PJ Gallagher and Emmet Kirwan.
She has read her poems on The Word and Manifesto stages at Electric Picnic, The London Irish Centre, The Mutiny Theatre, St Annes Park Rose Festival, Five Lamps Arts Festival, Drogheda Arts Festival, Dublin City Libraries and the Liberties Festival.

2025 saw Jan open for John Cooper Clark in The London Palladium, The Nottingham Royal Concert Hall and the Manchester Co-Op Arena in celebration of World Poetry Day.

Jan continues to write and perform alongside her mam duties and her career as a creative director and fashion stylist.