Surviving Trinny and Susannah

So I went through the whole proccess of being filmed and researched and interviewd in "The Body Booth" and I have to say I was a little nervous when I watched the first few minutes of "The Great British Body"! As I realised what the programme was all about and where it was going it was back to looking at the telly through my hands and those half closed eyes where you don't want to look and try and see at the same time.

As it unfolded I felt safe and confident that my contribution wasn't any where near freaky or "jumping up and down, look at me" enough to be included. I got away with a brief two second face shot but I was still amazed to hear how many people had spottted me. I'm not complaining though, it was good to be involved and was pleased I had the courage to do it. I also realise that I need to research the programme makers as much as they research me. Another insight on the road of discovery as the HCSML phenomenon grows and prospers and finds its way out into the world.

Trinny and Susannah, "The Final Frontier"

The response to How Cancer Saved My life continues, apart from the book sales there's been the newspaper articles, the radio interviews and the exhibitions. There's been all sorts of messages through email and the blog and some old fashioned telephone calls to the publisher. It's becoming a phenomenon with it's own life and momentum.

So now rather than promotion it seems that responding to demands from wherever they come from is required in taking the book out into the world. Our very creative, hardworking and inspirational Project Manager, Nikki Newman continues to organise, oversee and orchestrate all of this. The exciting thing is we just don't know what is going to happen next.

So a couple of weeks ago Nikki was contacted by a producer from ITV on behalf of the makers of the new Trinny and Susannah series , "The Great British Body", (goes out 2/3/4 of June 9pm). They had picked up on all the interest in the book. They were fascinated by my story and asked me to be involved in the programme. They were particularly interested in my "living with cancer" story and more specifically of course, my story of Penile Cancer and the fact that I have survived with a penis and that it still works. Well I always said that one of the themes and intentions of the book was to open up discussion about all of this and now that I'm succeeding I better seize and enjoy such an opportunity.

Who knows what will end up in the programme and when but I ended up being interviewed, (near Russell Square) in a booth on a couch looking at myself in a mirror (like Big Brother, not that I've paid that show any attention!!!).

There were questions that encouraged me to talk about my story and like your in this unreal world, a new experience, just going along with it. I forgot I was being filmed just talking to this God or Angel like voice from beyond! I was speaking about how I had made a decision to resist the surgical options and I was pleased that my penis was still intact and functioning (with slight alterations caused by a circumcision) at which point the voice said

would you like to pick up the hand held camera and show us?

I felt relaxed and just did it, I was not ashamed. All in the cause of art and literature and a greater understanding.

This was like "The Final Frontier" and a wonderful, even sensational feeling of liberation that after all these years of talking about it etc. etc. etc. there it was for millions of people to witness. I have spoken about it, written about it, lectured about it, painted about it, on occasions avoided talking about it, been interviewed about it and now it truely is Out In The Open.

I wait in excited anticipation as this remarkable story unfolds.