Utterly Brilliant!: My Life's Journey

by Timmy Mallett

Overview

A vivid, beautifully written and often moving book, skilfully dovetailing memoir, history, art and a cycling pilgrimage across Europe into a unique and uplifting whole. If you think you know who Timmy Mallett is, you're in for a rewarding surprise!' Proffesor Brain Cox 'A must read. This is a journey brimming with love and laughter that's also deeply moving. Timmy's glass isn't just half full, it's positively overflowing!' Lorraine Kelly Timmy Mallett, host of Wacaday' has cheered millions of lives with his fantastic specs, vivacious personality and 'Utterly brilliant!' catchphrase. In 2018 he certainly needed every bit of his natural exuberance: to honour his brother Martin, he cycled the El Camino de Santiago just as the 'Beast from the East' hit northern Europe. Utterly Brilliant!: My Life's Journey is a moving autobiography of courage and determination in the face of heartache. With humour and honesty Timmy tells of his pilgrimage along a route travelled by so many over the centuries, weaving together history and personal stories in a hugely entertaining manner. This is an autobiography that will be loved by Timmy's fans and enjoyed by those interested in discovering the human face behind a celebrity name, and those considering going on pilgrimage themselves. Full of heart and Timmy's characteristic charm, Utterly Brilliant will leave you uplifted and poignantly aware of how important it is to live every moment of every day.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780281083190
Publisher:	SPCK (Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge)
Publication date:	05/20/2021
Pages:	336
Product dimensions:	5.08(w) x 7.80(h) x (d)

About the Author

Timmy Mallett is a household name and is very active on Twitter, Instagram TickTok and FaceBook, with over 200k followers. He receives a lot of feedback from his fans, including those who appreciate his work as an artist, fellow cyclists, and people who grew up watching Wacaday. The volume will sit well in the popular, quirky category of books about Britain and Britishness.

Table of Contents

Key to the map ix

Foreword Michaela Strachan xiii

Prologue 1

1 An ominous beginning 5

2 Hand me a reason for this madness 16

3 Brexit and the Camino 26

4 Ancestral hero 37

5 The Way of the Plantagenets 49

6 Noire Loire 61

7 Eleanor of Aquitaine 74

8 Twin town 86

9 When an Australian asks for your address 98

10 Be kind to yourself 111

11 Life is what happens while you are busy making plans 126

12 Reach your potential! 142

13 Hill of Forgiveness 157

14 Maps and apps and which way now? 170

15 The rain in Spain falls mainly on … 181

16 Who let the dogs out? 194

17 The Iron Cross 207

18 The Winter Camino 217

19 Santiago de Compostela 227

20 The end of the world 237

21 The long and winding road 248

22 The puncture 261

23 As I stepped out one sunny morning … 275

24 Titanic 288

25 England, my Lionheart 301

Postscript 313

Copyright acknowledgements 321

Editorial Reviews

The world is a dark and confusing place to be right now, but there are still times that make a person glad to be in it. Timmy's journey throughout this book is one of them.

The Secret Footballer

I loved this book. It’s absolutely delightful. An adventure told in a uniquely Timmy way, full of humour and charm. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Michaela Strachan

A must read. This is a journey brimming with love and laughter that's also deeply moving. Timmy's glass isn't just half full, it's positively overflowing!

Lorraine Kelly

I am reading and LOVING and being both amused and moved by Timmy Mallett’s Utterly Brilliant!

Gyles Brandreth

Imagine as an adult the joy of bumping into someone you watched weekly as a kid on Saturday morning TV. Someone who kicked off the weekend, entertaining me with joyous fun and silliness. Someone I would send pictures to; I even won competitions on their show. Timmy Mallett, I still have my WAC PAC and all its contents! You’re the kind of hero who has probably influenced me more than I realize. What a lovely man!

Keith Lemon

There are not many people who would put themselves through this much to achieve their dream. Timmy has always aimed for the summit and, most importantly, remembers to smile and take time to reflect along the way.

Chris Evans

In Utterly Brilliant!, his entertaining and surprisingly moving autobiography, Timmy Mallett shares his journey through TV stardom, cycling the El Camino de Santiago and his passion for art.

From the Publisher

A vivid, beautifully written and often moving book, skilfully dovetailing memoir, history, art and a cycling pilgrimage across Europe into a unique and uplifting whole. If you think you know who Timmy Mallett is, you’re in for a rewarding surprise!

Professor Brian Cox