NORMAL SCHMORMAL

FOLLOWING the huge success of recent book Normal Schmormal and second BBC Radio 4 series (Ashley Blaker: 6.5 Children), comedian Ashley Blaker embarks on a stand-up tour this spring, including a stop at Guildford’s G Live on Friday April 12.

Ashley’s aim is simple: to completely change how people talk about parenting children with special needs.

He has six children, three of whom have a Special Education Needs (SEN) diagnosis. Between the children there is autism, Down syndrome, ADHD, speech and language disorders, heart defects, hearing loss, mobility issues, sensory needs and gastroenterological problems.

As Ashley says: “You know you’ve got a lot going on when Great

Ormond Street Hospital give you your own parking space.”

It’s certainly not what anyone would call a ‘normal’ household, but Ashley wouldn’t want it any other way. Ashley’s story is one parents, carers and teachers of children with SEN will particularly relate to, but his heartwarming tour, like the book and radio series, will appeal to any parent who believes love and acceptance are the most important building blocks of a happy family.

Ashley said: “Being a parent is tough and raising kids with special needs is even tougher.

“That’s why I am delighted to share our story with people and hopefully provide some muchneeded light relief. Thankfully our kids provide so much comic material this has all taken much less time to write than you might imagine.”

As a writer and producer, Ashley has worked with a who’s who of British comedy and was responsible for unleashing Little Britain on an unsuspecting nation.

For more details about the show or to book tickets, go to trafalgar tickets.com/g-live-guildford/ en-GB/event/comedy/ashleyblaker-tickets.