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Doctor Who: Myths and Legends
by Richard DinnickFor thousands of years, epic stories have been passed down from Time Lord to student, generation to generation. The truth of these tales was lost millennia ago, but the myths and legends themselves are timeless.These are the most enduring of those tales. From the princess Manussa and her giant snake Mara, to the Vardon Horse of Xeriphin, these stories shed light on the universe around us and the beings from other worlds that we meet. Myths hold up a mirror to our past, present and future, explaining our culture, our history, our hopes and fears.A collection of epic adventures from the Time Lords’ mist-covered past, Myths and Legends is an unforgettable gallery of heroes and villains, gods and monsters.
Doctor Who: Monsters Inside (DOCTOR WHO #127)
by Steve ColeThe TARDIS takes the Doctor and Rose to a destination in deep space - Justicia, a prison camp stretched over seven planets, where Earth colonies deal with their criminals. While Rose finds herself locked up in a teenage borstal, the Doctor is trapped in a scientific labour camp. Each is determined to find the other, and soon both Rose and the Doctor are risking life and limb to escape in their distinctive styles. But their dangerous plans are complicated by some old enemies. Are these creatures fellow prisoners as they claim, or staging a takeover for their own sinister purposes? Featuring the Ninth Doctor and Rose as played by Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper in the hit Doctor Who series from BBC Television
Doctor Who: The Monster Vault
by Jonathan Morris Penny CS AndrewsYou're going to need a bigger sofa...Doctor Who's biggest and most comprehensive monster guide yet, The Monster Vault takes you on the ultimate tour of the Whoniverse, discovering and cataloguing every wonderful and terrifying creature the Doctor has ever encountered.From the notorious Daleks, to evil Stenza warrior Tzim-Sha and the ancient Thijarians, The Monster Vault features in-depth profiles on each monster, showing the Doctor's most dangerous enemies in their natural habitat and unveiling their secret histories. You will also discover how monsters were created and designed, behind-the-scenes secrets, unseen details from the original scripts, case studies and rare artwork.This lavish and visually stunning book provides an unrivalled wealth of information, allowing you to explore the rich history of Doctor Who and expand your knowledge and understanding of characters old and new.
Doctor Who: Molten Heart
by Una McCormackDon’t dig too deep. You never know what you’ll find beneath the surface.Deep below the surface of the planet Adamantine lies a crystalline wonder world of lava seas and volcanic islands, home to living rock-people.But when the Doctor and her friends arrive on Adamantine they find it under threat. The seas are shrinking, the magma is cooling, and mysterious, fatal seething pools are spreading fast. Something has come to Adamantine – but what does it want? Fearing an invasion is underway, the Doctor must lead an expedition to the surface of the world to save its molten heart…Featuring the Thirteenth Doctor, Yasmin, Ryan and Graham, as played by Jodie Whittaker, Mandip Gill, Tosin Cole and Bradley Walsh.
Doctor Who: The Missy Chronicles
by Cavan Scott Jacqueline Rayner Paul Magrs James Goss Peter Anghelides Richard DinnickKnow your frenemy.‘I’ve had adventures too. My whole life doesn’t revolve around you, you know.’When she's not busy amassing armies of Cybermen, or manipulating the Doctor and his companions, Missy has plenty of time to kill (literally). In this all new collection of stories about the renegade Time Lord we all love to hate, you'll discover just some of the mad and malevolent activities Missy gets up to while she isn't distracted by the Doctor.So please try to keep up.
Doctor Who: Martha in the Mirror (DOCTOR WHO #49)
by Justin RichardsCastle Extremis - whoever holds it can control the provinces either side that have been at war for centuries. Now the castle is about to play host to the signing of a peace treaty. But as the Doctor and Martha find out, not everyone wants the war to end. Who is the strange little girl who haunts the castle? What is the secret of the book the Doctor finds, its pages made from thin, brittle glass? Who is the hooded figure that watches from the shadows? And what is the secret of the legendary Mortal Mirror?The Doctor and Martha don't have long to find the answers - an army is on the march, and the castle will soon be under siege once more... Featuring the Tenth Doctor and Martha as played by David Tennant and Freema Agyeman in the hit sci-fi series from BBC Television.
Dorothy's War: a powerfully atmospheric, heart-warming and compelling coming of age saga set in the North-West from bestselling author Ruth Hamilton
by Ruth HamiltonThis emotional and uplifting saga full of twists and turns by the Sunday Times bestselling author Ruth Hamilton is perfect for fans of Catherine Cookson, Dilly Court and Josephine Cox. "I believe that Ruth Hamilton is very much the successor to Catherine Cookson. Her books are plot driven, they just rip along; laughs, weeps, love, they've got the lot, and they're quality writing as well" -- SARAH BROADHURST, RADIO FOUR"Another first class read" -- ***** Reader review"Absolutely loved this book. Ruth Hamilton is possibly my favourite author..." -- ***** Reader review"Another great read, didn't want it to end. [I] always feel bereft when I've finished one of Ruth's books" -- ***** Reader review"A very good read. I couldn't put this book down and go to bed. Had to read it all in one go" -- ***** Reader review***********************************************************ONE WOMAN'S FIGHT FOR FREEDOM AND LOVE...Born into the First World War, Dorothy has a bleak childhood under the iron fist of an implacable mother and the silent compliance of a browbeaten father.Her escape is achieved just before the disastrous advent of Hitler, and there is further tragedy to come.Follow her through childhood and adolescence, then on into her twenties. Can she win her own battle for freedom, for love and for her own place in the world?
Dudley Moore: An Intimate Portrait
by Rena FruchterRena Fruchter was Dudley's concert piano partner, and the friend who looked after him in the final years of his life until his death at the age of 66. This is her intimate portrait of the extraordinarily brilliant, complex character that was Dudley Moore. During the last ten years of his life Dudley changed. He stepped off the podium and into real life. Physically life was difficult, professionally it was turbulent, but during his final years he blossomed, and in the midst of his illness from the debilitating effects of Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, he found peace. Rena writes beautifully of Dudley's final years but also takes us back through his life story - conveying his inimitable talent, humour and vibrancy; evoking the atmosphere of a working-class upbringing in 1940s Britain, life in 1950s London and his relationship with Peter Cook, and the excesses of 1980s LA. With style and precision she unravels his personality, looks back at his childhood and career, weaving a moving and compelling story of a unique man.
The Doorstep Girls: A heart-warming story of triumph over adversity from Sunday Times bestseller Val Wood
by Val WoodRuby and Grace have grown up in the poorest slums of Hull. Friends since early childhood, they have supported each other in bad times and good. But their families are bound together by more than friendship, and secrets from the past threaten to make their lives even more difficult.The local cotton mill has provided work for Ruby and Grace since they were nine years old, and now years later both girls find themselves the object of attention from the mill owner's sons. As times grow harder, and money ever scarcer, Grace becomes involved in campaigns against poverty and injustice, while Ruby is tempted into prostitution.The two girls are searching for something that could take them far away . . . But what price will they pay to find it?If you like Katie Flynn and Dilly Court, you'll love this heartwarming story of triumph over adversity.---------------------------Praise for Val Wood:'A heart-warming story filled with compelling action' Rosie Goodwin'Hull's answer to Catherine Cookson' BBC Radio 4's Front Row'Wonderfully fully-fleshed characters are the mainstay of [Val Wood's] stories' Peterborough Telegraph
Duckling: A gripping, emotional, life-affirming story you’ll want to recommend to a friend
by Eve AinsworthDuckling is a nickname Lucy has never been able to shake off.And, if she is honest, maybe it suits her.She is not the type to socialise with other people.You might say she is reluctant to leave her nest.Lucy's life is small, but safe. She has a good routine. But all that is about to change. . . When Lucy's neighbour asks her to look after her little girl for a couple of hours - and then does not come back - Lucy is suddenly responsible for someone other than herself.It takes courage to let the outside world in, and Lucy is about to learn there is much more to life - but only if she is brave enough to spread her wings.________________________________Praise for Duckling:'A poignant read' Woman's Own'[I] loved this gorgeous, funny, poignant and very human book' Rowan Coleman'Underlines the importance of friendship, community and family while maintaining a galloping plot that keeps you hooked until the last page!' Sarah J Harris'A lovely, heart-warming story about the importance of friendship and family, the power of forgiveness and about learning to love yourself' Clare Swatman'Duckling is joyous, life-affirming and refreshing' Joanne Harris'Combines uplifting and poignant moments with a plot that is so gripping it had me feverishly turning the pages' Jessica Ryn'Charming and compassionate, dark at times yet peppered with joy!' Eleanor Ray
The Door in the Wall
by H. G. Wells'And so, in a trice, he came into the garden that has haunted all his life.'H.G. Wells was a pioneer of science fiction, its first and greatest influence. Here his boundless invention creates three very stories: a poignant parable of a mysterious door, a thrilling account of be-tentacled sea creatures and the darkly comic chronicle of an academic rivalry taken too far . . .This book includes The Door in the Wall, The Sea Raiders and The Moth.
The Duchess of Malfi, The White Devil, The Broken Heart and 'Tis Pity She's a Whore
by John Ford John WebsterThese four plays, written during the reigns of James I and Charles I, took revenge tragedy in dark and ambiguous new directions. In The Duchess of Malfi and The White Devil, John Webster explores the role of women and the problems of power, sex and corruption in the Italian court, creating two unforgettable anti-heroines. In The Broken Heart, John Ford questions the value of emotional repression as his characters attempt to subdue their desires and hatreds in ancient Greece. Finally, Ford's masterpiece 'Tis Pity She's a Whore explores the taboo theme of incest and forbidden lust in a daring reworking of Romeo and Juliet.Jane Kingsley-Smith has edited the plays from the earliest quartos and added invaluable editorial material, including explanatory glosses and a new introduction that discusses how the playwrights explored issues around women, sex, power and violence.JOHN WEBSTER was born in about 1578 in London. He studied law at the Middle Temple before embarking on a career in the theatre, collaborating on many plays with contemporary dramatists. But it was his two solo-authored tragedies, The White Devil (1612) and The Duchess of Malfi (1614), which sealed his reputation. He died in the 1630s.JOHN FORD was born in 1586 in Devon. His early career was wholly concerned with poetry and philosophical works, and it was not until the 1620s that he began collaborating on stage plays. In the late 1620s, he began writing alone, producing the eight plays on which his reputation would be based, including The Broken Heart (1620) and 'Tis Pity She's a Whore (c.1630). Nothing more is known of Ford after the performance of his last play in 1638. JANE KINGSLEY-SMITH completed her PhD at the Shakespeare Institute, Stratford-upon-Avon and is the author of two monographs: Shakespeare's Drama of Exile (2003) and Cupid in Early Modern Literature and Culture (2010). She is a Reader at Roehampton University, London, and a regular guest speaker at Shakespeare's Globe.
The Doomsday Testament: An adrenalin-fuelled historical conspiracy thriller you won’t be able to put down…
by James DouglasFrom bestselling author James Douglas, a gripping and enthralling historical conspiracy thriller - a must read for fans of Dan Brown, James Becker and Chris Kuzneski.READERS ARE LOVING THE DOOMSDAY TESTAMENT! "This is the best book I have read in a long while..." - 5 STARS. "Kept me up very late because I couldn't put it down." - 5 STARS. "Kept me gripped until the end, with twist and turns everywhere..." - 5 STARS. **********************************************************************THERE ARE SOME WHO WILL KILL TO FIND THAT WHICH IS LOST...1937: Hitler sent an expedition to Tibet in search of the lost land of Thule.1941: Himmler spent a huge fortune, and sacrificed the lives of hundreds to turn Wewelsburg Castle in Germany into a shrine to the SS.2008: Art recovery expert Jamie Saintclair is astonished to discover that the gentle grandfather he thought he knew was a decorated war hero, serving in the Special Air Service in World War Two. And his grandfather has one more surprise. Sewn into the endpaper of his journal is a strange piece of Nazi symbolism.With this discovery, Jamie is launched on a breathless chase across Europe and deep into Germany's dark past...Jamie Saintclair's adventures continue in The Isis Covenant, The Excalibur Codex and The Samurai Inheritance.
Don't You Know Who I Am?: Insider Diaries of Fame, Power and Naked Ambition
by Piers Morgan'They say you can always remember where you where when pivotal moments happen, such as losing your virginity or Elvis dying. Let me add another to the list: the moment I sang a duet to the the "Macarena" with Timmy Mallett, live to millions of people...'Sacked from his high-profile job as a national newspaper editor, Piers Morgan dived helplessly into the world of celebrity. But even twenty years of commenting on the lives of the rich and famous couldn't prepare him for the extraordinary world he uncovered...A riveting, scandelous and brutally honest account of one man's quest for celebrity, Don't You Know Who I Am? lifts the lid on the egos and outrageous behaviour of everyone from Paris Hilton to Cherie Blair, Kate Moss to the legend that is the Hoff.
Dubliners (The Penguin English Library)
by James JoyceWith an essay by J. I. M. Stewart.'Every night as I gazed up at the window I said softly to myself the word paralysis. It had always sounded strangely in my ears ... But now it sounded to me like the name of some maleficent and sinful being. It filled me with fear, and yet I longed to be nearer to it and to look upon its deadly work'From a child grappling with the death of a fallen priest, to a young woman's dilemma over whether to elope to Argentina with her lover, to the dance party at which a man discovers just how little he really knows about his wife, these fifteen stories bring the gritty realism of existence in Joyce's native Dublin to life. With Dubliners, James Joyce reinvented the art of fiction, using a scrupulous, deadpan realism to convey truths that were at once blasphemous and sacramental.The Penguin English Library - 100 editions of the best fiction in English, from the eighteenth century and the very first novels to the beginning of the First World War.
Don't Tell the Teacher
by Gervase PhinnBrilliantly observed as always, family, teachers, pupils and the dreaded school inspector all leap to life in this wonderfully warm and witty, brand new, poetry collection from bestseller Gervase Phinn. New kids, disobedient deputy heads, school reports and fireworks, daydreamers and embarrassing mums all make an appearance. And if read on you might even just discover the whereabouts of Colin's confiscated conkers...just don't tell the teacher!
The Dublin Railway Murder: The sensational true story of a Victorian murder mystery
by Thomas MorrisA thrilling and perplexing investigation of a true Victorian crime at Dublin railway station.Dublin, November 1856: George Little, the chief cashier of the Broadstone railway terminus, is found dead, lying in a pool of blood beneath his desk.He has been savagely beaten, his head almost severed; there is no sign of a murder weapon, and the office door is locked, apparently from the inside. Thousands of pounds in gold and silver are left untouched at the scene of the crime.Augustus Guy, Ireland's most experienced detective, teams up with Dublin's leading lawyer to investigate the murder. But the mystery defies all explanation, and two celebrated sleuths sent by Scotland Yard soon return to London, baffled.Five suspects are arrested then released, with every step of the salacious case followed by the press, clamouring for answers. But then a local woman comes forward, claiming to know the murderer...'The Dublin Railway Murder is a true-crime masterclass' Philip Gray, author of Two Storm Wood
Don't Stop Me Now
by Jeremy ClarksonJeremy Clarkson puts the pedal to the floor in Don't Stop Me Now; a collection of his Sunday Times motoring journalism. There's more to life than cars. Jeremy Clarkson knows this. There is, after all, a whole world out there just waiting to be discovered. So, before he gets on to torque steer and active suspension, he takes time out to consider: • The madness of Galapagos tortoises • The similarities between Jeremy Paxman and AC/DC's bass guitarist • The problems and perils of being English • God's dumbest creation Then there are the cars: whether it's the poxiest little runabout or an exotic, firebreathing supercar, no one does cars like Clarkson. Unmoved by mechanics' claims and unimpressed by press junkets, he approaches anything on four wheels without fear or favour. What emerges from the ashes is rarely pretty. But always very, very funny. Praise for Jeremy Clarkson: 'Brilliant . . . laugh-out-loud' Daily Telegraph 'Outrageously funny . . . will have you in stitches' Time Out Number-one bestseller Jeremy Clarkson writes on cars, current affairs and anything else that annoys him in his sharp and funny collections. Born To Be Riled, Clarkson On Cars, Don't Stop Me Now, Driven To Distraction, Round the Bend, Motorworld, and I Know You Got Soul are also available as Penguin paperbacks; the Penguin App iClarkson: The Book of Cars can be downloaded on the App Store. Jeremy Clarkson because his writing career on the Rotherham Advertiser. Since then he has written for the Sun and the Sunday Times. Today he is the tallest person working in British television, and is the presenter of the hugely popular Top Gear.
Dublin: How the Dubs Made a Mess of Things for So Long – and How They Turned It Around
by Neil CotterIrish Times Sports Book of the Year Dublin has become the dominant force in Gaelic football, setting new standards of skill and efficiency. But it was not very long ago that the county was a byword for underachievement and disorganization. Every year from 1996 to 2010, the Dubs found new and creative ways of losing, of causing their fans to suffer, and of earning the scorn of the wider GAA public.Based on interviews with former players and coaches, Dublin: The Chaos Years tells the entertaining and sometimes scarcely believable story of how the Dubs managed to make such a hames of things over a period of fifteen years. It also traces the beginnings of the turnaround, as the bad habit of failure began to give way to a healthier culture. Full of frank, witty and sometimes outrageous stories and analysis from the people who were at the centre of it, Dublin: The Chaos Years is a book for every Gaelic football fan.'Fascinating' Kieran Cunningham, Irish Daily Star'This book offers fascinating insight into the egos, dressing room divides, and bad habits which held the county back on the field. ... [It's] full of honest and witty interviews with players, coaches and officials from that revolutionary period.' Darren Frehil, RTÉ Culture'From unwelcoming veterans to arseboxing and collapsing human pyramids to marching to the Hill to startled earwigs to champs, Cotter has it all covered in a very well-written and insightful read.' Kieran Shannon, Irish Examiner'Cotter has done some terrific interviews ... the raw, hard-nosed nature of the Dublin dressing room at the end of the 1990s jumps from the page. ... Well worth anyone's time' Malachy Clerkin, Irish Times Sports Books of 2018
Dub Sub Confidential: A Goalkeeper's Life with – and without – the Dubs
by John LeonardDub Sub Confidential by John Leonard: a GAA memoir like no other.WINNER OF THE SETANTA SPORTS IRISH SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD.John Leonard was a gifted Gaelic football goalkeeper who had the misfortune to reach his prime at the same time, and in the same county, as one of the all-time greats: Stephen Cluxton. Unless something happened to Clucko, Leonard was always going to be number 2. Of course, it didn't help that he had a problem with drink and drugs ...Dub Sub Confidential is John Leonard's vivid, witty and searingly honest account of his life in and out of sport. He was both a committed Dub and a sceptical observer of the goings on in the dressing-room and on the training pitch. He writes about the players and the mentors, and about the oddity of being part of the GAA's biggest circus while never expecting to get on the pitch. And he writes brilliantly about the demons that led him to addiction, his efforts for many years to party hard and train hard, and his eventual breakthrough to sobriety.Dub Sub Confidential is a GAA memoir like no other yet published - a book about how Gaelic games collide with real life. It is also a brilliant read from a remarkable personality.'Four decades after Eamon Dunphy published Only a Game?, his seminal book on football, John Leonard has produced the Gaelic football equivalent - only it's better' Sunday Times Sports Books of the Year'Reads like Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas ... a great read' Ray D'Arcy, RTE Radio 1'As fascinating as its insights into the Dublin dressing room and the big matchdays are, to reduce Dub Sub Confidential to being just a sports or GAA book is to do it an injustice; it is an astonishing, exceptional, visceral account of a confused young man' Irish Examiner'Engaging, honest, sad and frightening in places - ultimately raw and real. Couldn't put it down' Ryle Nugent, RTÉ'The overall feeling of Leonard's sporting life is of a high-wire act. He somehow managed to have a part-time romance with Dublin football while full-bloodedly chasing whatever and whoever was on offer in Dublin after dark ... There is an antic and often jubilant energy to Leonard's writing' Keith Duggan, Irish Times'Remarkable ... a stark and searingly honest memoir' the42.ie'Students of Gaelic football will be intrigued by his account of the rivalry with Cluxton, arguably the most important player of modern times' Sunday Times
Don't Let the Bastards Grind You Down: How One Generation of British Actors Changed the World
by Robert SellersAlan Bates, Michael Caine, Sean Connery, Tom Courtenay, Albert Finney, Richard Harris, Peter O'Toole, Robert Shaw and Terence Stamp: They are the most formidable acting generation ever to tread the boards or stare into a camera, whose anti-establishment attitude changed the cultural landscape of Britain.This was a new breed, many culled from the working class industrial towns of Britain, and nothing like them has been seen before or since. Their raw earthy brilliance brought realism to a whole range of groundbreaking theatre from John Osborne's Look Back in Anger to Joan Littlewood and Harold Pinter and the creation of the National Theatre. And they ripped apart the staid, middle-class British film industry with kitchen-sink classics like Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, This Sporting Life, The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, A Kind of Loving and Billy Liar before turning their sights on international stardom: Connery with James Bond, O'Toole as Lawrence of Arabia, Finney with Tom Jones and Caine in Zulu.Don't Let the Bastards Grind You Down brings alive the trail-blazing period of theatre and film from 1956-1964 through the vibrant energy and exploits of this revolutionary generation of stars who bulldozed over austerity Britain and paved the way for the swinging 60s. What Peter Biskind's Easy Riders Raging Bulls did for American cinema writing so Don't Let the Bastards will do for the British cinema.
The Drummer Boy
by Leon Garfield'As far as the eye can see, scarlet men are marching . . . A rich and splendid company, but none more so than the drummer boy.'But a moment later, the sound of Charlie Samson's drum was swallowed in a wild thunder. The glorious scarlet troops had been ambushed. Men were dead and dying all around, and all the beauty was gone. All that was left was himself and his drum, and a few shady nightwalkers - cowards who came crawling from the ditches and knaves who scoured the dead for wealth . . .
Don't Let Him In: The gripping psychological thriller that will send shivers down your spine
by Howard LinskeyThere's a killer on the loose.They say a locked door can't stop him.And you're in a big, old house, all alone.That is, you think you're alone . . .'Dark, creepy and compelling, with the claustrophobic sense of a killer waiting around every corner' T.M. LOGAN, bestselling author of The Holiday'I COULDN'T TURN THE PAGES FAST ENOUGH' 5***** Reader Review_______Rebecca has come back home to the small town of Eriston to bury her father, Sean.Sean was always obsessed with the town's urban legend, of a killer who supposedly comes in the night. Rebecca's never had time for the rumours. Except, as she reads through his notes, it's clear he was sure he was about to uncover the truth. And then she hears that there are unanswered questions about his death.It's unnerving, reading through his theories alone in their tall, creaking family house on the seafront.If she didn't know better, she'd swear she thought she heard someone outside her door...So gripping you can't stop reading, so chilling you won't sleep afterwards, discover this summer's most gripping psychological thriller._______'An absolute belter of a thriller. Dark, sinister, clever and creepy' Neil Lancaster'A triumph - yet another in a long line of his top class thrillers' Trevor Wood'Tense, chilling & refreshingly original, I devoured it in two wide-eyed gulps' Isabel Ashdown 'One of those books where you can be sitting with your back against the wall and still feel there is someone behind you' 5***** Reader Review'A tightly and expertly plotted, gripping tale that held me captive throughout' 5***** Reader Review
Druid Mysteries: Ancient Wisdom for the 21st Century
by Philip Carr-GommIn this beautifully-written guide, Chief Druid Philip Carr-Gomm shows how the way of Druids can be followed today. He explains- The ancient history and inspiring beliefs of the ancient Druids- Druidic wild wisdom and their tree-, animal- and herb-lore- The mysteries of the Druids' seasonal celebrations- The Druids' use of magic and how their spirituality relates to paths such as WiccaThis guide will show how the wild wisdom of the Druids can help us to connect with our spirituality, our innate creativity, the natural world and our sense of ancestry. The life-enhancing beliefs and practices of this spiritual path have much to offer our 21st-century world.
Don't Laugh, It'll Only Encourage Her: The No 1 Sunday Times Bestseller
by Daisy May CooperTHE SUNDAY TIMES NO. 1 BESTSELLERDiscover the hilarious memoir written by the most relatable woman in the world - Daisy May Cooper, creator and star of BBC's award-winning comedy This Country'Thank goodness for gloriously silly Daisy May Cooper. Joyful, irreverent and totally uplifting' THE TIMES'Hilarious. A riot from start to finish' DAILY EXPRESS'Bloody brilliant, like the woman herself' HEAT______I've always had an over-active imagination and felt the urge to be a massive f**king show-off so acting seemed like the obvious choice of career. There was never anything else I wanted to do more. But fulfilling my ambition wasn't going to be easy . . .I grew up battling rural poverty which was a struggle enough but my family were completely insane to boot. Together with my brother Charlie, I staggered my way through adolescence from one drama to the next until finally, after years of trying, we had This Country commissioned by the BBC.By sharing tales of how I accidentally auditioned to be a pole-dancer to being catfished by a one-armed internet boyfriend, I answer all of life's great mysteries:Could I count wall plaster as one of my five-a-day?Would I find the afterlife in the back of a shitty pub?Who dropped the monster turd at the fake audition?And just how much of a humiliating, ridiculous, screw-up of a s**t-storm life did I need to lead before I could finally realise my dream?