Tom Wrigglesworth

I'm unfamiliar with comedian Tom Wrigglesworth so wasn't quite sure what to expect of a routine based on telephone calls to his Sheffield-based family. But it's a lovely half-hour, with Tom becoming increasingly exasperated by his parents' failure to understand him and their obsession with the mundane.

Far from resenting them, he's actually extremely fond of the mum and dad who come out with batty lines like "I'm nostalgic for a twin-tub... oh, and your brother is in prison". And Tom's Gran is on the line too - to great comic effect: "Your mother is like the National Accident Helpline, always trying to compensate."

For me, the biggest pay-off was to discover she's played by one of our greatest actresses, the incomparable Judy Parfitt. She alone will make it worth tuning in for the rest of the series.

Fringe stories: Tom Wrigglesworth (Link expired)

Tom Wrigglesworth talks about his efforts to hide himself from his Edinburgh Festival landlord.

Tom Wrigglesworth on all the things that make him cry

Comedian Tom Wrigglesworth's emotionally intense show makes his audiences blub - but it's tap-dance dubstep that really sets him off.

This is the second series of Open Letters, in which Sheffield-born comic Tom Wrigglesworth attempts to solve the issues surrounding Britain's most annoying businesses in a form of a letter to the boss of a major company.

In the opening episode, Wrigglesworth wrote, or rather performed as it is basically a stand-up routine, a letter to the head of comfused.com about why they should make insurance less confusing.

There were some humorous moments, but I think you can tell the quality of the show when you discover that the funniest bits are not from Wrigglesworth, but from his grandmother, when she is encouraged to write to her life insurance provider about herself and her husband being at increased risk thanks to a bread maker. Don't get me wrong, it's funny, but most of the show is lacking in big laughs.

For me, the best contribution from Wrigglesworth was his idea on how to improve the insurance business, which involved a live TV show hosted by John McCririck. However, most of the time it's a bit of an information overload full of complaints rather than anything comedic.

Tom Wrigglesworth's Open Letters review

The series premiere was an overwhelming disappointment. Although Tom Wrigglesworth is extremely confident in his delivery of Open Letters, the subject matter in this week's show was dull and difficult to engage with.

Tom Wrigglesworth - "I do a lot of humming"

Radio 4 funnyman talks to us during his Nightmare Dream Wedding tour.

Interview: Tom Wrigglesworth

Off the back of his successful 2009 show An Open Return Letter to Richard Branson, which won him such accolades as the Chortle 2010 'Best Show' award, Tom Wrigglesworth is back in 2011 with a national tour of Nightmare Dream Wedding. Pete Starr caught up with the affable Yorkshireman to discuss his new show.

Self-proclaimed "engineer of mirth" Tom Wrigglesworth is back following the success of his Open Letter to Richard Branson last year. This new series of open letters berating the incorrigible powers that be for their ineptitude and lack of common sense begins with a heartfelt plea addressed to transport secretary Philip Hammond. Traffic wardens, the bureaucratic hoops of paying a parking fine and pantomime baddy clampers all incur his vitriolic wrath in this first instalment. Some of the jokes are obvious, but anyone who enjoys a good moan will find plenty to chuckle at.

Tom Wrigglesworth says he's an "engineer of mirth" as he pretends to be writing to the government to ask "what's happening to traffic wardens?" Anyone not related to Mr Wrigglesworth or not listening to his act in a pub after a few jars will be tempted to ask "what's happening to BBC mirth engineering?" Someone from Comedy (a whole department of its own) will probably now write me a patronising note about keeping up with the new generation of performers. Don't bother. De-gunking the washing machine will be more fun than this.

My Edinburgh: Tom Wrigglesworth, comedian

This is my third year coming up to Edinburgh and by now I've found my secret weapon: fruit smoothies, laced with plenty of ginger.