Discover the candid and compelling life story of Amanda Barrie, the iconic actress known for her roles as Cleo in Carry on Cleo and Alma in Coronation Street. Born in 1935 above a tailor’s shop during a thunderstorm, Barrie recounts a life filled with drama, secrets, and triumphs, from a challenging childhood to finding enduring love.

This memoir offers an intimate look at her journey, including her expulsion from two schools, running away to London at age 13, and her time as a Soho showgirl alongside Barbara Windsor in the 1950s. Barrie details her rise from the chorus to starring roles on stage and screen, while bravely exploring her lifelong struggle to keep a crucial part of her identity a secret, fearing exposure throughout her Coronation Street years.

• The full story of how Amanda met her wife, novelist Hilary Bonner, and the difficulties they overcame to build a life together.
• Candid reflections on her career, spanning from wartime childhood to national treasure status.
• Exploration of the personal struggle to accept and reveal her true self after decades of secrecy.

Garnering praise such as, 'Such a moving book, such a powerful book. So beautiful. It’s a lovely read' (ITV Good Morning Britain) and 'She is sharp, funny, moving, EVERYTHING' (Sharon Marshall, This Morning’s resident Soap Queen), this is an essential read for fans of British television and theatre history.

• Author: Barrie, Amanda
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Print Length: 288 pages
• Publication Date: June 18, 2026
• ISBN-13: 978-1917439954
• Dimensions: 198 x 129 x 50mm
• Weight: 505g

Explore the remarkable 90 years of Amanda Barrie in this powerful and revealing autobiography published by Mirror Books.