Pulling Myself Together

by Denise Welch

One of our most popular actresses, Denise Welch got her television break in the BBC's Spender opposite Jimmy Nail and followed it by achieving success in ITVs worldwide hit drama Soldier Soldier . She really became a household name when she took on the role of Rovers Return landlady Natalie Barnes in Coronation Street . Today she stars in the award-winning drama, Waterloo Road and is a regular on the hugely popular Loose Women , where her warmth and honesty have won the nation's hearts. But even as her career was taking off, Denise was hiding a secret—that she was suffering from a crippling post natal depression so severe that she was at times suicidal. As she concealed her heartbreak on the set of Coronation Street , she turned to alcohol and drugs to cope. She even had an affair that threatened her marriage. Now she reveals for the first time the full details of her battle with depression and alcoholism, how she fought back and, helped by the love of her husband Tim Healy, turned her life around. Powerful and moving, Pulling Myself Together is ultimately an uplifting book that will appeal to her many fans old and new.

Genres: Autobiography, Biography, Nonfiction

336 pages, Hardcover

First published May 7, 2010

Reviews

[chucklesthescot · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a well written and interesting book which didn't pull any punches and was full of the worst of her behaviour. It seems that some people were shocked by the book because of its content but for me, there is no point in a celebrity biography that misses out the embarrassing or contraversial things. I want to read the full story, not edited highlights. This book certainly provides a lot of detail.

I used to watch Family Affairs and thought that David Easter was seriously hot but Denise is blunt about her destructive relationship with him. I try not to judge when I've only read one half of the story but if what she says is true, I would not have wanted to be in her shoes. She claims that he was a possessive bully and a serial cheat, all of which he has since denied. Her second husband Tim Healy seems to have been the polar opposite and Denise took a long time to really warm to him. He sounds like a decent bloke for the most part.

Denise talks about her battles with depression, which I could very much relate to and I am so grateful that I never went down the road of feeling suicidal. Quite a few of her doctors could have done with a good slap for the way they treated her. Thankfully, healthcare has improved a lot since her treatment and more help is available for depression now. She talks also about her drug taking which I had less sympathy for and her battle with alcohol.

She talks also about her varied career-Byker Grove, Grease stage show,Spender, Soldier Soldier, Coronation Street and Loose Women. How she was able to perform so well in these shows with all her problems is beyond me. The other thing I found interesting was the jealousy shown to her by Robson Green when Simon Cowell was looking to offer her a record deal after seeing her sing on Soldier Soldier. Robson obviously didn't like the idea of anyone stealing his thunder and Simon had to withdraw his offer when Robson threw a tantrum about it.

Interesting book.

[Lisa Benbow · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Denise. She pulls no punches and tells it exactly as it is. Being a sufferer of depression myself I was interested to read about how Denise copes. She's self deprecating and exceedingly honest about her illness. This is the second of her autobiographies that I've read and I thoroughly enjoyed them both. Xx

[Caroline · Rating 2 out of 5]

What a vile, self-obsessed woman, not to mention name-dropper extraordinaire. I feel sorry for her family. As she says on countless occasions in the book, seeming oddly proud of the fact, "I'm a nightmare, aren't I?"

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.75⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I have always liked Denise Welch, I grew up watching her on Waterloo Road and Loose Women & then recently I watched the old Corrie episodes where I got to see her as Natalie Barnes, she was very honest and open in this book & also took responsibility for her mistakes but was also very open as what to lead her to them mistakes and her reasoning as-well as being very honest and truthful about her mental health and her struggles & as someone who has suffered with depression since I was very young and has been and in out of treatment I related to her a lot & I also respect how much she has done over the years to raise awareness for mental health, whether you like or dislike her, she is a very strong woman and she has pulled herself through some very dark times and that has to be admired, I can’t wait to read some of her other books.

[Soo]

Dreadful

[EJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite what anyone may think of Denise as a person - this book absolutely delivers in every way. It is a very detailed, relentlessly dishy read which is impossible to put down at times. Not a dull moment in this one!

I decided to read this because I found Denise interesting on Loose Women and could tell she has probably had an interesting life. Also, as a young actor myself, I wanted to hear about her career and breaking into the industry. "Interesting life" would be a giant understatement; her life has been very colourful and eventful since she was a child. Denise's undeniable charm and wit is in every chapter, which undoubtably adds to this book's allure.

Overall - very interesting, well written and well paced. As I mentioned above - NEVER a dull moment. Reading this book feels like you're chatting with your cool, eccentric actress cousin over drinks. Well done!

[Louise Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

i remember David Easter in brookside and was quite horrified by the stories she tells of him and did feel for her but as the adage says 2 sides to every story although he did come across as a big head and something fishy her descriptions of depression were what i cld understand bit only really someone who has been in such a deep hole but hopefully their is alot of understanding about post natal depression she always come across as a bubbly exciting person full of life so it is good to read how someone comes through their personal battles but as said also good to hear the other side !!!

[Miss Gucci · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took a me while to finally finish this book, it was very sad to read what Denise Welsh want through with her illness, and finally a doctor she found gave her some comfort, however the book repeated itself a couple of times which was a struggle to get through, Denise did what she wanted to do on her terms and did leave poor Tim to handle everything on his own as well as the boys, I hope she’s in a better place and have some sort of control of her illness.

[Darla Ebert · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I would not advocate that anyone reading this book follow the author's lifestyle, she has some painfully acquired knowledge to impart concerning mental illness, post-partum depression, stigmas, non-judgmental doctors, and hormonal imbalance. I learned some things about the importance of seeking out intelligent help when the mind and body are at odds.

[Fiona Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading of this woman's addiction to booze. It really is a choice. Her humour comes through perfectly. Read it if you've Hefner affected by alcoholism or suffered the consequences of a family member afflicted with the awful disease.

[Andrew Sunnucks · Rating 2 out of 5]

I started this book liking Denise Welch but struggled by the end of it. I felt she was brave talking about mental health but at the same time I felt she came across as a bit self obsessed and unable to take responsibility for her own actions.

[Joe Stephenson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tart with a heart.

[James Tidd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book from one of the most honest persons you'll meet.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It had a few surprises. Really heard her voice in it, in all her anecdotes.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book Denise is quite a character.The way she spoke so honestly about her depression was very refreshing.

[Kay Townsend · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found this just an average book.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

How amazing was this book, Denise went through a black hole suffering from anxiety and clinical depression which she eventually found out was caused by her oestrogen levels being non existent and progesterone intolerent due to her having had a birth control coil which was doing more harm than good and it was immediately removed after suffering for almost twenty years and once she was put onto hormone replacement she felt like a miracle had happened. She still had to take antidepressant pills to combat her depression and anxiety.

Denise acquired numerous television awards over the years and was in some well known dramas, Coronation Street, Soldier, Waterloo Road and Loose Women. She is also a novelist of two books, If they could see me now and The Mother's bond. She is also an accomplised theatre actress and starred in many plays and also pantomines.

It was so spiteful of some of her ex boyfriends who sold explicit stories to the newspapers making out that she was a fallen woman in order to get paid for the stories. Denise did have her demons to cope with the drugs, sex and rock and roll also her depression and anxiety on top of it all.

Tim, her husband stood by her through thick and thin as did her family throughout her episodes of adultery, depression and anxiety. He too had his own demons to contend with too, his excessive drinking of whiskey.

[Jules · Rating 5 out of 5]

Packs quite a punch when it comes to a star of television coming clean about her past and battle with depression and post-natal depression. Welch is straight-talking throughout and talks in a no-holds barred way about past relationships and things that have made her live her life in her own unique and off-kilter way. As a reader you get the impression that Welch is a warm and brutally honest person who is trying to educate others about how to go forward in life – especially with her detailed accounts of mental battles. The tips she gives as well as medical and practitioner references will, I’m sure, be useful for many. I really warmed to Welch whilst reading this book – I already thought she was a great actress on tv (I love her portrayal of Steph on Waterloo Road), I now also admire her for being totally transparent and unstarry regarding the general pitfalls we can all face in life. This book will appeal to any reader of modern biographies and to those who have a passion for current television and theatre history. It’s a real page-turner and well as being easy and straightforward to read. Great book and totally unpretentious – would recommend!

[Leila · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rather heavy going. I have always liked Denise Welch so this was an eye opener! Although I did feel for Denise at times, with her trusting nature, I also felt that for most of the time, she had no one but herself to blame. If you are a 'celebrity' and tell the world who you are, by openly saying and doing all manner of flamboyant and frankly, inappropriate things, then the 'paps' as she calls them will never leave you alone. She seems to have been rather foolish in her total trust of so called friends. Her description of her three weeks in The 'Big Brother House' was mind boggling and singularly unpleasant. There must be better things for all of us to do rather than watch such shocking disgusting behaviour displayed by the 'housemates'.Her earnings paid her tax bill but at what cost to her! I am guessing there may well be another book coming out at some future time. Denise has learned hard lessons - Keep what you don't want the world sand his wife to know private at all times and then a lot of pain will not visit your doorstep.

[Henry · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was good, although it did irritate me that, for most of the bad things she has done in her life - drugs, cheating - she has excuses for, yet she refuses to forgive anyone who does wrong to her. For example, she writes about her dismay on finding out her husband had a one night stand, yet she begs her husband not to leave her when she has a months-long affair. You get the feeling that there are two sides to every story, such as her account on her first marriage to David Easter, which she admits is very different to his own account - yet she affirms that hers is the true one. Perhaps it's one of those things we'll never know. That marked the book down for me, however I appreciate that she brought depression to the forefront, arguing against people's stereotypes about it.

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've always loved Denise's straight talking and her humour is fantastic.. As soon as i started reading this book i loved it. She mentions growing up in the North East of England, which i know quite well.
Her honesty about her sex life..drug addiction and alcoholism is remarkable.
Well done Denise on writing this warts and all book brilliant read and a great insight on how depression affects people too.

[Sally Flint · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a quick read that appealed to the 'celebrity voyeur' in me, which doesn't really exist much, so I could take it or leave itI've no doubt that Denise wrote it herself. You can hear her voice on every page waxing lyrical about her time in the Big Brother House, leaving Tim, meeting Lincoln, stopping drinking and so on. It is very badly written but warm, humour and honest. It is, I think what it sets out to be, a quick read and a quick money maker.

[Aileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t usually read Biographies, however I am a big fan of this
Actress, the book tells the story of Denise’s life, how she became an
Actress, and over the years she has suffered with Depression which made
her Suicidal and turn to Drugs and Alcohol.
A great book, definitely recommend, it’s very easy to follow.

[Lindsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent read although I was not a big Denise Welch fan, I read it because I knew she'd have alot to say about depression and on that front it didn't disappoint. Didn't feel massively sympathetic to her on any other front though especially the cocaine addiction, the affair and rocky marriage.

[Carla Monsoon · Rating 5 out of 5]

An honest, open and heartbreaking account of a life that has been lived!
Endeared me to Denise as she wove me through her trials and tribulations.
Whilst she is no saint she is a human being and I cant wait to start reading her new book starting over!

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this autobiography. I didn't know much about her apart from what I've learnt watching lunchtime telly. I knew she'd suffered from depression- but not how severely it had affected her.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Couldn't put this book down. Denise was so open and honest and I really admire her for that. I am glad to see that she seems to have come thru the other side. A really good book.

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually really enjoyed this book, it is totally honest and heartwarming. Recomended for everyone, especially those suffering at the hands of depression etc.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

what an amazing book i felt this was very honest and well written i loved reading about denise battle with depression her drinking and drug addcition i thought it was an amazingly honest book

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I laughed & cried reading this book,couldn't put it down . . . .