Spectacles – Sue Perkins

I grew up with Sue Perkins, not actually but metaphorically. I was there when Light Lunch was debuting on channel 4, it was a must for students as it was on at about the time we got up. The beauty of the two presenters was the chemistry they had between them – these were friends just having a laugh and sharing it with everyone else.

But what about the person behind the television personality. I don’t want to say this is the book warts and all, because it really isn’t. This is a memoir, a collection of some of the more important events and some of the less ones too about Sue Perkins. She has relied on her family to help her with the book and whilst they want to be represented slightly differently, Sue just represents them as them as she does herself.

Sue Perkins is sharp with a razor wit and a humour that can be very basic in terms of the innuendos we are used to on The Great British Bake Off to the more up to date satirical humour on the numerous panel shows she has featured on. This book is very much a reflection of this, there were some real laugh out loud moments and others where my heart was breaking for Sue as she shared some of the slightly rougher times in her life so far.

It is fairly chronological but does jump backwards and forwards as happens when you start recalling moments of the past, other stories are suddenly remembered. If you can get used to that and accept that also no doubt (as the author admits herself) some of the book has been embellished or fleshed out a bit to give it more character then you will undoubtedly enjoy the book. Don’t we all exaggerate for effect?

A wonderfully funny read that was so heartfelt at the same time.

I do enjoy reading autobiographies but I am very choosy about who I read about, therefore I think if you look back on who I have read, it will surely give you a reflection of my life?