"To meet up with Timmy Mallett is always uplifting. I have known him for nigh on forty years and he has always had a benign presence about him. He is jovial, entertaining and palpably genuine. He is also extremely talented: on stage, radio, television and as an artist, but his book ‘Utterly Brilliant’ proves he is so much more than that.
For a start, he writes quite beautifully, as he describes his enchanting route from the UK through France to Spain, some 2,500 often gruelling miles on his bike. He made the trip in honour of his older brother Martin who had Down’s Syndrome – sadly, Martin died just days before Timmy set off.
His overwhelming love for Martin shines through in every chapter, as well as his appreciation of the beauty of the natural world around us. Seen through the eyes of an artist, of course, and he took every opportunity to get his brushes out to capture every moment. Swap Timmy’s mallet for Timmy’s palette!
The book is not just a travelogue, though. It is a skilful interweaving of the journey through Europe with his journey through life. His colourful trajectory from childhood, through university, radio, television and even pop star! It is full of intriguing reminiscences and his own personal philosophy of life. Just as he frequently paused to reflect, I found I did too. For me, the whole book was absolutely compelling."