Books

Melody with her inspiration, Jock (Image: Getty) “Growing up was challenging,” says Melody, 55, a former TV presenter turned author and public speaker. “Domestic violence was rife. I held my breath waiting for the next row. Mum showed affection and tried her best. But to my father, I didn’t exist.” …

It was one of the biggest tests of Joan Collins’s career. Would she star in one of the most-hyped films of the era? Or would she have to watch another actress win the role of a lifetime? But this was no audition room for the actress, then aged in her …

The children’s book Winnie-The-Pooh has been revised to ­imagine Hundred Acre Wood without any trees. Winnie-The-Pooh: The Deforested Edition features new illustrations and is the first classic to be updated to reflect green concerns. The book has been changed to highlight the loss of trees across the world to make …

Dame Joan Collins is happier than she has ever been (Image: Getty) Age is a dirty word in the Collins household. Not because Dame Joan’s scared of her 90 years. Or because her beloved fifth husband is a few decades her junior. But because she’s always believed the secret to …

Clara Miller painted on her wedding courtesy of the National Trust. Inset, daughter Agatha aged 36 (Image: National Trust) Too often female authors are defined solely by their relationships with the men in their lives, lovers and husbands foremost. But how about the women who feature most prominently in their …

Adrian Edmondson played a key role in the success of Absolutely Fabulous, he reveals. He had the inspired idea of Joanna Lumley playing the iconic Patsy Stone, suggesting the actress to his wife Jennifer Saunders, who created the show. Adrian, 66, recalls: “Another actress was in the frame and at …

The Elgin Marbles on display at The British Museum (Image: Getty) Have I Got News For You stalwart Ian Hislop may be a national treasure in the UK for his sardonic sideswipes at power, but in Greece it is his wife Victoria who is the star. And if the best-selling …

Journalists packed into Douglas DC-3 bound for Rhodesia (Image: Fincher//Popperfoto) The threat of violence was everywhere, betrayal was an ever-present danger, but forbidden love was a risk that journalist James MacManus was prepared to take. Half a century later, the thrill of his African adventure has rekindled treasured memories for …

Laura’s father’s bucket list (Image: Adrian Bacolo) “I was terrified,” says Laura, who threw up as the ground hurtled towards her while skydiving. “Surfing the Pacific was also really scary; I must have wiped out 20 times, as was sailing alone: I capsized.” Laura was 25 years old when her …

Osman never thought he would become one of the world’s best-selling authors (Image: Getty) Steven Spielberg has optioned his book series for the big screen, but if Osman is starstruck by this turn of events, he isn’t showing it. The 52-year-old creator of quizzes and former co-host of BBC’s Pointless …