Autobiography out in paperback

Frank Skinner's autobiography is to be published in paperback next week.

The book spent 12 weeks in the top ten bestseller list for hardbacks when it was first published last year.

Skinner spend six months writing the book, which talks honestly about his career highs and lows, relationships, alcoholism and losing his virginity to a prostitute.

He said: "I feel really strongly that autobiographies should be about the truth. I tell the reader things I haven't even told my best friend."

Frank Skinner By Frank Skinner is published in paperback next Thursday (May 2) by Arrow at £6.99. Click here to buy it from Amazon at £5.59.

The book's opening paragraphs:

If I'm considering writing a book, I always take it off the shelf and read the first paragraph. This, I think gives you a pretty fair inkling into whether you like it or not. So, imagine the pressure I'm feeling at the moment. I suppose this work has ended up in the Biography section and you are probably already eyeing-up my competition; stuff like "My Life in Music" by David Hassellhoff, for example.

So, I know I have to work fast. I've never written a book before. In fact I've barely written a letter in the last 10 years and even e-mails have become a bit irksome. I quite like text-messaging on my mobile phone but it's not much of a warm up for a 120,000 word autobiography. I even had text-message sex on one occasion. It was a long-winded, but ultimately rewarding experience and produced, amongst other things, what I think is a pretty fine joke.

At one stage in the proceedings I asked my fellow texter what was under her pants. The answer took the form of a vivid portrait in words that was three parts Jackie Collins and two parts Grays Anatomy. I had not anticipated such a wealth of detailed information. In short, I could almost smell it. Her message ended: "What's under YOUR pants?". I replied, in all honesty, "My Knees".

Published: 25 Apr 2002