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Illuminated

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What to expect

All the things I left unsaid…

Melanie Sykes has been a face on our screens, a voice on our radios for nearly thirty years. As a presenter and broadcaster people turned to her for her humour, her honesty and insight. But between all the interviews and chat shows, is a life unseen, a story unsaid.

Her journey – from up north to down south, from Manchester to LA and via London, Paris and India, and through the eye of the storm of celebrity culture is a rollercoaster ride. Sex, drugs and rock and roll, certainly, but also brass bands and ice cream vans, broken hearts and healing adventures – a search not for fame but for freedom.

Her autism diagnosis in midlife has supercharged that journey – and means this isn’t a story just of breakdown, but of breakthrough. Funny, furious and gloriously frank, this is a book that lifts the lid on being a woman in the media, navigating relationships, and being a neurodivergent person speaking up in a neurotypical world. Illuminated is Melanie, in her own inimitable voice.

Critics Review

‘Wonderful … a life worth telling’ Graham Norton

‘An amazing book … a fantastic read … brave, breathless and fun’ Chris Evans

User Reviews

Book 3.5
Narration 4.0
4.0
4.0
CharlieBrook 23/07/2023
3.0
4.0
Fascinating look at the toxicity and misogyny of the entertainment industry. Doesnu2019t go much into her lived experience as an autistic woman, apart from a lens to look at her experiences and traits (such as being taken advantage of, striving for justice and her honesty). Enjoyable read. I think there needs to be a u2018part 2u2019.
ZzXena 22/01/2025

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