I didn't think before that I'd done enough to justify publishing an autobiography but after 40 years in show business I'm now ready to tell my story.

Singer Cilla Black's introduction to homophobic bullying occurred during a visit from Billy, a dear childhood friend. Sharing a room with Ms Black's boyfriend, Billy Returning after having gone out by himself: collapsed by the bed and burst into floods of tears, his face bruised and splattered with blood. ... " I'm Gay," Billy said, "and I've just been beaten up and robbed by a guy who picked me up in a bar and took me back to his place."

I didn't think before that I'd done enough to justify publishing an autobiography but after 40 years in show business I'm now ready to tell my story.

I never did acid, I am just so high anyway.

It's no fun getting older. I might be wearing beautiful diamond earrings but they can't take away the pain of losing my hearing.

The nicest thing about coming of age is that I can do whatever I like.

I had to do the book because there was an unauthorised biography which didn't tell it like it was.