Stand-up comedy show by Tom Wrigglesworth about the history of the hand drier, presented by NCF Comedy.
Tom Wrigglesworth brings A History of Hand Driers to Canalhouse on Sunday 8 November, as part of the Nottingham Comedy Festival 2026. It's a stand-up show that takes a ridiculously deep dive into something most of us barely notice: the hand drier. Wrigglesworth calls it 'the hearth of the public washroom', and the set promises engineering revolutions, social etiquette theory, and a fair amount of utter nonsense. If you've ever stood in a public toilet wondering why some driers take forever while others just blast your hands with lukewarm air, this is basically that thought taken to its logical, comedic extreme.
Wrigglesworth is a Yorkshire stand-up often described as 'frighteningly tall', and he's built a reputation as a natural raconteur. He first made a name for himself on the circuit and won Channel 4's So You Think You're Funny?, and since then his work has appeared on Russell Howard's Good News, Edinburgh Comedy Show, Live At The Comedy Store, and Engineering Giants. He's picked up a Sony Award and a Rose D'Or, an Edinburgh Comedy Award nomination, and a Chortle & Time Out Award, and has worked across Radio 4 and BBC 2. The Telegraph called him a 'born entertainer', Time Out described him as 'hysterical & accomplished', and others have called him a 'rare talent'.
Beyond the stage, he's got a bit of a backstory that fits the tone of the show: he once became a national hero for rescuing an old lady from Virgin train bureaucracy, only to be arrested for begging shortly after. It's that kind of absurd, real-life detail that tends to find its way into his storytelling.
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The show is presented by NCF Comedy and runs on Sunday 8 November, with doors opening at 6:40pm and the show starting at 7pm. Tickets are £13, and it's held at Canalhouse, 48-52 Canal Street, Nottingham, NG1 7EH.
