Books: Nothing Like a Dame, Elaine C Smith

NOTHING Like a Dame is Mary Doll's story – the life of the Elaine C Smith, as told by the comedienne herself.

Released this week in paperback, this compelling read is a heart-warming memoir – candid, outspoken, hilarious and at times deeply sad – everything you would expect from the inimitable personality, best-known for her role as the long-suffering Mary, wife of Rab C Nesbitt.

Sitting in a dressing room in a top West End theatre, Smith once asked herself, "How did I get here?", reflecting on a 50-year journey that began in a mining village in Lanarkshire where she was encouraged to "shut up and stay thin".

But she always wanted more, fighting the stereotypes, the norms and the obstacles that were in her way.

Today, she has forged a lengthy career in show business, hosting her own sell-out show, starring in numerous TV series and becoming the first woman to consistently headline pantos in Scotland.

Nothing Like a Dame is out now in paperback, priced 7.99.