Christine Ohuruogu Olympic Gold Medal Winner On Board The New Book

Christine Ohuruogu is a 400m runner and has competed and won medals at the last three Olympics, making her only the second athlete to achieve that. Gold at Beijing in 2008, Silver at London in 2012 and Bronze in the relay at Rio in 2016. She is a double world champion and the British record holder. I am very much looking forward to meeting Christine at the Lea Valley Athletic Centre where she trains.

Meeting Christine will continue the Olympic theme that I started in the last book, Lives & Times, where I met Sir Steve Redgrave and Katherine Grainger. It will fascinating to find out a little bit more about what goes in to becoming a gold medal winning athlete.

The new, as yet untitled book, is being done in memory of my Mum, who passed away in August after a four year battle with bowel cancer. All proceeds raised from sales of the book will be donated to the Beating Bowel Cancer charity. The book will also help to raise awareness about this awful illness that is still taking far too many people, and yet s very treatable if detected early.

Musician James Stevenson To Feature in The New Book

With almost 40 years experience as a musician, James Stevenson is going to make for a fascinating subject to meet and photograph for the new fundraising book for Beating Bowel Cancer. Aside from being in my favourite band, The Alarm, I wonder if it might be easier to list the bands and musicians he hasn't performed with! I reckon if James was to do a book like this one I am doing he would have no difficulty getting it packed full of famous faces.

James sent me a message from LA where he is at the moment, and we will hopefully be able to sort out a meeting once he gets back to the UK in a couple of weeks. Sadly James has also been touched by cancer, so it is a subject close to his heart as well.

For anyone who bought the last book, Lives & Times, James does feature in a photograph taken at Abbey Road, but you need to buy it to read the full story.

Actress Michelle Collins Will Feature in The New Book

More terrific news on my quest to get people to come on board the new fundraising book for the Beating Bowel Cancer charity. Actress Michelle Collins has kindly agreed to take part in the book. Remembered by many as Cindy Beale in Eastenders, Michelle has been a star on stage and on our television screens for over 30 years. My own personal favourite television programme she appeared in was Sunburn. We will hopefully meet up to do the photo in the new year as Michelle is extremely busy this side of Christmas. It will make for another fascinating chapter in the book.

It's quite interesting coming at this new book from a "post Mum" situation. She got to see the last book, Lives & Times, but of course sadly won't get to see this new book. I know how proud she was of the last book, so I am doing all this in her memory.

Kevin Sheedy Joining The Forthcoming Book

Ex Everton footballer Kevin Sheedy has kindly agreed to feature in the new fundraising book. Kevin has beaten bowel cancer and he is now an ambassador for Beating Bowel Cancer, the charity I am raising funds for. He is still involved at Everton, now coaching the U18 side. 

Bowel cancer does not discriminate and can affect anyone. England's 1966 World Cup winning captain, Bobby Moore, sadly was taken by this awful illness. In my last book, Live & Times, I met ex West Ham goalkeeper Phil Parkes who had also beaten bowel cancer. I am sure meeting Kevin will be a fascinating experience. The question is can we do the photo on the Goodison Park pitch?

I have a couple more ex professional footballers on my radar at the moment. Arsenal legend Ian Wright and Eddie Gray from the legendary 1970s Leeds United side. So if anyone out there can assist with getting these two on board the new book I'd be very grateful.

Elizabeth Alker From BBC 6 Music Will Feature In The New Bowel Cancer Book

Elizabeth Alker works a music journalist and presenter on BBC 6 Music, and she can also be heard on Radio 3. I tried to get her to be in the last book, Lives & Times, so I am really happy that she has agreed to be in the new bowel cancer fundraising book. Just imagine a job where where you get to talk the biggest names in the music business. She succeeds where I have failed in getting interviews with just about any name you can think of... Will she let me in on the tricks of the trade? Of course I am equally sure that it must be a pretty tough job at times working very long hours to get just a few minutes of material that eventually gets broadcast. I find it quite fascinating, so I am looking forward to finding out a little more about Elizabeth and what she does.

The last month has flown by. My Mum passed away at the end of August after finally losing her 4 year long battle with bowel cancer, and since then I have decided to embark on doing this new book which has already started to build up an impressive cast. The idea behind the book is to raise funds for the Beating Bowel Cancer charity, and and also to raise awareness about bowel cancer. It is the 2nd highest cancer killer in the UK, and yet it can be successfully treated in over 90% of cases if detected early. The more names I can get to come on board the book, the more chance it has of getting a bigger profile and reaching a larger audience. On a personal level doing this book will give me a wonderful positive outlet while I come to terms with losing Mum...

BBC Journalist Nick Robinson To Be In The New Book

Nick Robinson, the former BBC political editor and now a presenter on Today on Radio 4, will feature in the forthcoming bowel cancer fundraising book. One of the main stays of BBC news political reporting over the last decade, I am very much looking forward to meeting him. Away from his media career Nick has been going through his own cancer battle. He has published a book on the 2015 General Election and his own battle to report it.

It will be fascinating to get an inside as to the role of a journalist who has got to interview just about every big political hitter of the last 20 years or so. Hopefully I will get an insight into the professional journalist, the man battling cancer. and of course finding out about the first record he bought.

All proceeds from the forthcoming book will be donated to the Beating Bowel Cancer charity in memory of my Mum, who lost her four year battle with bowel cancer at the end of August. The current Lives & Times book and screen print have now raised over £2650 for the charity. Hopefully the new book will do equally as well.

ESPNcricinfo Chief Cricket Correspondent George Dobell Supports Bowel Cancer Book

I am really happy to have got George Dobell, the chief cricket correspondent at ESPNcricinfo, on board the new bowel cancer fundraising. George is about to head off to warmer climates to cover cricket in the southern hemisphere, so we will arrange a meeting sometime next summer when he is back in the UK. Whilst looking for a photo of George on the internet, I came across this cracking one of him with the legendary Richie Benaud. 

Cricket was a big theme throughout the Lives & Times book, my last fundraising effort, and I am hopeful to get a few more cricket names on board this book. It was frustrating a week or so ago, as I realised a little too late in the day that George was in conversation with Jonathan Trott at the Henley Literary Festival talking about Jonathan's autobiography Unguarded. Very local to me and I would have loved to have gone to it, but this actually gave me the idea to contact George so it worked out well in the end. I have tried contacting Jonathan too, but I have yet to get a response.

It's one month since my Mum lost her 4 year battle with bowel cancer, and all proceeds from sales of the forthcoming book will be donated to Beating Bowel Cancer.