From Rags to Ricky

by Sid Owen

From one of the stars of C4's Banged Up, this is Sid Owen's entertaining and poignant autobiography, as the troubled kid heading towards a life of crime found success in EastEnders.Sid Owen is best known for playing the hapless but loveable EastEnders character Ricky Butcher, one of Britain’s most enduring soap icons. What people don’t know is that Sid’s early life saw more drama than anything his character endured. His father was an armed robber who was sent to prison when Sid was very young. Sid went out 'on the rob' from an early age, breaking into shops and seeing it as a big adventure.Sid lived happily with his mum and siblings on a sprawling north London council estate until he was seven, when his mum died and the brothers were split up. Feeling confused, unloved and unhappy, Sid was heading towards a life of crime. Acting offered an escape from his troubled home life and his teen years played out between extremes – at thirteen he was working with Al Pacino and Donald Sutherland on the movie Revolution; at sixteen he was living in an Islington squat with his brothers when his work brought him to the attention of the EastEnders producers.From Rags to Ricky is Sid’s moving, unforgettable account of his north London childhood during the late 1970s and 80s. His natural storytelling skills, authentic voice, ear for dialogue and sharp eye for detail transform this story of loss and deprivation into a timeless tale of one individual’s struggle to defy the hand fate dealt him and come out winning.

Genres: Autobiography

244 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 5, 2021

Reviews

[Gillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite a good book but lacks much substance. It's fairly well written but I was put off by the regular use of swear words. Fine for Sid Fans. The cover says compelling but this book Is not

[Jody Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an interesting life Sid Owen has led. I really enjoyed this book

[readerofreallife · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in one sitting. Not because it was necessarily one of the best memoirs I’ve ever read, but it was relatively short, and that worked in its favour. The pacing suited me well, and I did enjoy it.

Although I was never an avid fan of TV's "EastEnders," one of the characters I loved was Ricky Butcher, played by the author of this book, Sid Owen. In interviews, Sid always struck me as a nice guy, and I also enjoyed his character in one of my favourite shows, "Bad Girls," where he was a regular in the last series.

I had no idea that Sid had such a difficult upbringing. He describes his early life and surroundings vividly and in a straightforward manner, making it feel like you’re sitting with him in a pub listening to his stories. I felt for him at the loss of his mother at such a young age. While I was shocked at some of the antics he and his brothers got up to - simply because it’s a different world than mine - I found myself laughing quite a bit, too.

Aptly titled "Rags to Ricky," this memoir made me like Sid Owen even more. It’s not your typical "showbiz" memoir; instead, it focuses on a hardworking, working-class childhood surrounded by a community that looked out for one another - something I wish we had more of today. Sid clearly appreciates those who have supported him, and he pays tribute to them in the book. I’m glad he found a passion for acting, as he admits it probably saved him.

My only complaint is that the book pretty much ends when he joins "EastEnders," and his life afterwards is condensed into just a few pages. I hope there’s a sequel soon, and it would be great to see Sid take on other TV characters. I wish him all the best for future opportunities.

[Holly Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

From Tags to Ricky
By Sid Owen

Hiya All

If you’re a big Eastenders fan this book will be right up your street. I for one used to love watch Ricky Butcher.
Sid Owen has had a really tough up bringing and this book is his journey from childhood to fame and Eastenders. Considering his back ground he has really made a name for himself for all the good reasons

I do recommend this book if you have always been a fan or you want to read about his past.

Anyone recommend any good autobiographies?

Look and even this book was signed by him! Brought this from my friend

[Christine Parkinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ricky, (or should I say Sid!!) has led a very interesting life. I enjoyed listening to this book, which Sid narrated. Following an extremely difficult childhood, he found his love in acting, which became his saviour. I felt it lacked any real information about his family life once he left Eastenders. I give this 3 and a half stars.

[Leah Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really liked this book as I didn’t know much about him- was honest and I enjoyed it especially backstory to his early life which was traumatic !