Henry Normal Library Tour | Clifton

Back once again for another tour of Nottingham Libraries, Henry Normal and friends treat us to a tour of the book palaces of our city. 

Henry will be accompanied at Clifton Library by poet Sophie Diver

Henry is a writer, poet, television and film producer, founder of the Manchester Poetry Festival (now the Literature Festival) and co-founder of the Nottingham Poetry Festival. In 2017, he received a special BAFTA for services to television.

He co-wrote and script edited the multi-award-winning Mrs Merton Show and its spin-off Mrs Merton and Malcolm, and co-created and co-wrote the first series of The Royle Family. With Steve Coogan, he co-wrote Paul and Pauline Calf Video Diaries, Coogan’s Run, Tony Ferrino, Doctor Terrible, Coogan’s live tours, and the film The Parole Officer.

As co-founder and Managing Director of Baby Cow Productions, he executive produced and script edited numerous acclaimed projects, including Philomena, Gavin and Stacey, Moone Boy, The Mighty Boosh, Red Dwarf, Nighty Night, and Alan Partridge.

Since retiring in 2016, he has written and performed a series of BBC Radio 4 shows combining comedy, poetry and family stories. His memoir A Normal Family (2018), co-written with Angela Pell, became an Amazon bestseller.

Sophie Diver is a Nottingham-based writer and poet, and the singer and lyricist of egg punk band No Peeling. A BBC New Creative, her radio drama The Cupboard aired on BBC Radio 4 Extra in 2021.

She has supported Brian Bilston at Nottingham Poetry Festival and was selected for the Writing East Midlands mentorship scheme in 2025. Her work spans music, radio, podcasts, and print, with commissions including Rough Trade.