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September 5, 2007 11:49 AM

PREVIEW REVIEW: Laid Bare by Gail Porter

Out tomorrow, this book just manages to squeeze in as a Preview Review... (and yes, I am leaving, I just have a few loose ends to tie up first!)

Most people (in the UK at least) know Gail Porter. Or know of her, anyway. Short, bouncy, blonde Scottish TV presenter who married a rock star, had his baby, went through a bitter divorce and lost all her hair from the stress. After all that (not to mention an overdose that nearly killed her, years of self-harm, anorexia and undiagnosed bipolar disease and a difficult relationship with her dad) it was probably inevitable that Gail write a book about her experiences. Laid Bare is that book, and there's the inevitable reference to hair loss in the title, although it could have been a lot worse...

I was fairly interested to read this but really hoping that it wouldn't be a self-indulgent wallow. Because, to be honest, if I'd been through a lot of this stuff, it probably would have been!

Luckily, Gail is a charming and charismatic narrator as she tells the story of her first fascination with the entertainment business (an obsession with the first Star Wars film) right up to... well, I won't give it away, but the book ends on a poignant note.

She writes about her days at school (she was a super-swot, who became a black belt at Karate - and so was never really picked on!) and college (in Watford, which she didn't find very exciting...) and her early jobs in TV, including a lot of time as a runner/general dogsbody. What comes across is a strong work ethic, a lot of determination and the ability to bounce back from any rejection. I was impressed. After getting to know TV production inside and out, Gail realised that her dream job was to be in front of the camera, so she made a show reel dressed as Wonder Woman (of course) and started auditioning. Soon (after a few ups and downs along the way) she was presenting Scottish kids' TV, then national kids' TV in London, then iconic programmes like Top of the Pops, where she met her husband, Dan Hipgrave of (former) band Toploader.

When she writes about her relationship with Dan, it's clear that their marriage was a whirlwind mistake, and that there's no love lost between them! She is however, grateful to him for their daughter Honey (although her post-birth pain, which lasted for months, made me seriously wince). It seems that Gail has never done things the easy way, even when she sometimes could have done. She seems to have barreled her way through life without thinking too much about her actions. When she's diagnosed with bipolar and a thyroid problem, and admits to her anorexia and self-harm, it comes as almost as much of a relief to the reader as it must have to Gail herself. However, contrary to my fears, she doesn't wallow. In fact, she sometimes could do with wallowing a bit more, and with asking for help - as it doesn't come across that she's fully dealt with her problems and I was a bit disappointed with that although maybe that's more about my own control freakery than the book itself! It's also a shame that the book ends on the aforementioned poignant note, but it is also a sweet ending, and a realistic one.

I can't see any mention of a ghostwriter anywhere, so am choosing to believe Gail wrote this herself. In which case, she has talent as a writer, as the reader definitely becomes involved in her experiences. I found this a quick read, but not a dumb one, and I learned a thing or two about someone who's been in the news a lot.

Rating: 4/5

Like this? Try But Enough About Me by Jancee Dunn. 

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Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on September 5, 2007 in Book related, British Authors, Celebrity Authors, Memoirs, New Releases, Non Fiction, Rating: 4/5, Television | Permalink

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