Julian Clary

This is Julian Clary's story, in his own words - the tale of an awkward schoolboy who became a huge worldwide success on stage and screen.After a sheltered suburban upbringing, Julian was sent to St Benedict's, where beatings from 'holy' men gave him some brutal life lessons, and other 'unholy' boys his first awakenings of sexuality. He had just one true friend and ally, Nick - to his other school peers, Julian's aloof demeanour made him an enigma or simply a figure of ridicule. In school he was just another pained adolescent, but inside Julian was a new Jean Genet or Quentin Crisp bursting to get out.Leaving St Benedict's thankfully behind him, Julian went on to college where he found his true vocation as an entertainer with a peculiar comic brand of smut and glamour. At the same time, he was finding as much sex as he could, sometimes with remarkably less-than-glamorous characters.Periods in community theatre and the singing telegram industry followed before Julian hit the big time with cabaret co-star Fanny the Wonder Dog as The Joan Collins Fan Club. Soon, the world was his oyster. But fame came at a price, as Julian struggled not only with the reality of being a high-profile gay man in the 1980s but also the pain of losing his lover to terminal illness.Far more than just another celebrity autobiography or 'funny book', this is a touching, beautifully written and wryly witty account of a unique progression from shy child to comedy icon.

'Utterly hilarious and thrillingly disgusting' Miriam Margoyles 'Perfectly ridiculous and very funny' Dawn French There's no business as deadly as show business... Jayne enjoys her new job as a researcher on popular daytime TV programme Morning All!, but the usual fare of cookery and fashion items are a bit bland and ratings are plummeting. So when Jayne comes up with the idea for a segments investigating cold case murders - where the viewers can help to solve the mystery - the show knows they've hit the jackpot. The trouble is, these cutthroat execs will do anything to keep the newly boosted ratings. And when a new case is needed, and fast, it might just turn to murder... Discover this autumn's most entertaining, devious and fabulous mystery from author, actor and comedian Julian Clary.

'Been reading this on m'olidays. It's perfectly ridiculous & also v funny...' DAWN FRENCH 'Curtain Call To Murder positively explodes with the double-entendres and vicious wit that has become his trademark.' DAILY EXPRESS 'Utterly hilarious & thrillingly disgusting' MIRIAM MARGOYLESA murder on stage. A cast full of suspects. Can dresser Jayne unravel the mystery? It is opening night at the London Palladium, and tensions are running high amongst the feuding cast of "Leopard Spots." Amongst them are an ageing lothario, a national treasure, an amateur psychic and a comedian-turned actor all vying for the spotlight.When an on-stage accident forces an unexpected intermission, it is clear only to dresser Jayne that the drama has turned deadly. Can she step out of the wings and identify the killer before it is too late? Or will murder make an encore...Discover the year's most entertaining, devious and fabulous mystery from author, actor and comedian Julian Clary

'Been reading this on m'olidays. It's perfectly ridiculous & also v funny...' DAWN FRENCH 'Curtain Call To Murder positively explodes with the double-entendres and vicious wit that has become his trademark.' DAILY EXPRESS 'Utterly hilarious & thrillingly disgusting' MIRIAM MARGOYLESA murder on stage. A cast full of suspects. Can dresser to the stars and true crime obsessive Jayne unravel the mystery? It is opening night at the London Palladium, and tensions are running high amongst the feuding cast of "Leopard Spots." Amongst them are an ageing lothario, a foul-mouthed national treasure, and a comedian-turned actor all vying for the spotlight.When an on-stage accident forces an unexpected intermission, it is clear only to dresser to the stars Jayne that the backstage drama has turned deadly. Can she step out of the wings and identify the killer before it is too late? Or will murder make an encore...Discover the year's most entertaining, devious and fabulous mystery from author, actor and comedian Julian Clary.

From one of Britain's best-loved comedians comes this wonderfully funny, sharp and touching memoir and a celebration of the bond between man and dog - an autobidography, if you will.'I loved The Lick of Love. It's often insightful, sometimes hilarious, frequently filthy - I'm a cat person, but if anything were ever to convince me to get a dog, it would be this' Joanne Harris'. . . wise and perceptive, and funny and moving. Each dog you meet marks a different chapter of your life and Julian writes about it so BEAUTIFULLY' Joanna Cannon'A quirky and witty excavation of memory lane in the company of his furry canine friends' Dame Joan CollinsThe Lick of Love takes us on a tour of Julian's colourful life - and wherever life has taken him, Julian has had a dog by his side. Fanny the Wonder Dog, who came into Julian's life when he was somewhat adrift, propelled him up the ranks of the alternative comedy circuit and onto television. Valerie, the whippet cross-breed escorted Julian through his forties, the Germaine Greer to his Bernard Manning. Albert, a jaunty geezer type who was sent to acclimatise Julian to middle age and helped him seduce his now husband, before being joined by naughty but nice Gigi, an unpredictable fur bullet of a dog. These canine characters have been there, bearing witness, on and off stage. Whether writing about encounters in seedy London nightclubs, finding success on television with Sticky Moments, the death of his partner, that Normant Lamont joke, a narrow squeak with a thwarted eastern European plot to kidnap him, his move to the country, or finally settling down, falling in love and getting married, Julian's unique voice bounces off the page. Ultimately, The Lick of Love is the story of a fascinating life and a love letter to the dogs that have played a loving and near constant part of it. Told with humour and great honesty, this promises to be one of the best memoirs of the year. 'Whatever else is going on, it is the water bowl in the kitchen, the dog hair on my jumper, the knowing gaze from the dog in the basket beside me that comforts me and tells me that all is well.' JC

The Bolds have decided to do their bit for the planet and go green. Not all of their eco-friendly ideas are welcome, though - especially when it comes to 'watering' the neighbours' front garden with wee...An eventful trip to the charity shop leads to a new rescue adventure for the Bold family, and an old friend returns with an unexpected list of demands. Can the Bolds keep their cool as temperatures rise?

For once, Teddington's wildest family have decided to stay at home and keep their heads down. It isn't always easy hiding tails and fur under clothes, and it's important not to raise suspicion among their human neighbors. But when a very sly fox starts making a big nuisance of himself, it's up to the Bolds to stop him.

The Bolds may look ordinary, but they have a great big secret It's summertime, and the Bolds are going camping by the sea, where new adventures await them . . . Uncle Tony becomes a surfing sensation. The family befriends a chatty puffin with lung trouble and a cougar with a dark past. And Bobby must assume yet another disguise, pretending to be the family's pet dog But it's not long before trouble sniffs them out, and Bobby goes missing. Can the Bolds come to the rescue and salvage their vacation, while maintaining their human masquerade?

The Bolds are visited by Fred's mother, Granny Imamu. She's travelled all the way from the Serengeti, she does not approve of what she finds: hyenas, living as people! Granny Imamu starts to stir up mischief with the twins, encouraging them to get in touch with their beastly side at school. And then the twins' teacher comes to the Bolds with a rather unusual problem: her grown-up son Jeffrey just isn't like other people. He's rather hairy, doesn't much like to talk, and loves to monkey about. If animals can become people, could it happen the other way around . . . ?

Enjoy a festive treat from Teddington's wildest family - packed with jokes, puzzles and activities! Who hides in the bakery at Christmas? A mince spy! What happened to the hyena who swallowed an Oxo cube? He made a laughing stock of himself! Merry Christmas! The Bolds are back with a bumper book of jolly japes. It's packed with rib-tickling jokes and puzzles including wordsearches, crosswords, mazes, riddles and spot the differences to keep kids entertained long after the Christmas presents are unwrapped!

The Bolds are just like you and me: they live in a nice house (in Teddington), they have jobs (like writing Christmas cracker jokes) and they love to have a bit of a giggle. One slight difference: they're hyenas. Follow the hilarious adventures of the Bolds in these four fabulously funny books! The Bolds The Bolds to the Rescue The Bolds on Holiday The Bolds in Trouble

Teddington's wildest family have decided to stay at home and keep their heads down - it isn't always easy hiding tails and fur under clothes, and it's important not to raise suspicion amongst their human neighbours. But trouble soon comes skulking when a very sly fox starts making a big nuisance of himself. It's up to the Bolds to try and stop him - but the solution has them foxed...

The Bolds--the hyena family successfully impersonating as humans--have become legendary in the animal kingdom. Soon their house is full of visitors hoping to learn how to pass as humans too. There's a crocodile who can't quite tame her appetite, a poodle who wants to be a famous singer, and runaway racehorses hiding from their owner. With so many houseguests, the Bolds have their hands (ahem, paws) full. Can they teach these outcast critters to survive in the human world?

The Bold family seems fairly normal: they live in a nice house, the parents have good jobs, and they all love to have fun. One slight difference: they're hyenas. That's right--they're covered in fur, have tails tucked into their clothes, and really, really like to laugh. For years, the Bolds have kept their true identities under wraps. But now the neighbors are getting suspicious, and the Bolds are getting homesick. During a trip to the local wildlife park, they meet an old hyena who is going to be put down, and the Bolds have to act fast to save him--without revealing their secret

It's the summer holidays, and the hairiest family in Teddington decide to take a holiday by the seaside. But it's never long before trouble sniffs these hyenas out, and Bobby is mistaken for a pup and snatched by a wicked dognapper. The Bolds will need all their ingenuity to hunt her down. But can these hyenas-in-disguise save the day, without letting the cat out of the bag...? ‘I wish we lived next door to the Bolds!’ Davina McCall

Familien Fræk er en helt almindelig familie. De bor i et nydeligt hus i England. Hr. Fræk går på arbejde (han skriver vittigheder til nytårsknallerter), og hele familien elsker at le og have det sjovt. Der er dog én lille ting, der gør dem lidt anderledes: De er hyæner. Ja, den er god nok – de er dækket af pels, har halerne gemt i bukserne, og de kan virkelig, virkelig godt lide at grine. Indtil videre har familien Fræk kunne holde deres sande identitet hemmelig, selv da børnene var små. Men den nysgerrige mand inde ved siden af har mistanke om, at der er en hund (eller hyæne) begravet et sted, og en tur til den lokale dyrepark truer med at afsløre sandheden. Hvad vil naboerne dog ikke sige? Den totalt skøre og skægge historie om Familien Fræk er skrevet af komiker og forfatter Julian Clary, og illustrator David Roberts har lavet de mange, skønne illustrationer af den gakkede familie.