PERFORMER and writer Henry Normal will open Cockermouth Live! later this month.

The co-writer of television's The Royle Family and the Mrs Merton Show, and co-producer of Gavin and Stacey, Uncle and Alan Partridge is also a poet and a stand-up comedian.

He will kick off the town's annual festival with two gigs at the Kirkgate Centre on Friday, June 28.

Festival chairman Bob Pritchard said: “We’re delighted to have Henry to open Cockermouth Live! He’s been described as 'witty and uncannily accurate with his observations' and is a very entertaining, thoughtful and multi-talented performer who will provide inspiration - the key ingredient of our festival - in spades.”

At 7.30pm, in “A Normal Family”, Henry discusses love, relationships and bringing up his autistic and much-acclaimed artistic son Johnny.

Earlier in the day, from 5.30pm, Henry will be running a workshop about comedy writing.

"If you’ve ever been curious about how comedy gets to be written, performed and broadcast, Henry will provide the answers in an hour long workshop on the 'Top 20 Mistakes in Writing Comedy and How to Avoid Them'," said Bob.

"Henry embraces everything from originality of ideas through the script-editing process and selling to TV or film companies."

Tickets are available from the Kirkgate Box Office on 01900 826448 or online at www.kirkgatearts.org.uk.

For more information about Cockermouth Live! weekend, see www.cockermouthfestival.org.