A manifesto written by Michaela Cole, best known for her television work with Chewing Gum and I May Destroy You. This was a speech she delivered in 2018 when she was invited to give the MacTaggart Lecture at the prestigious Edinburgh Television Festival. The main body of the speech is book ended by an introduction and conclusion, to give context. This is wonderful. Coel talks about her time growing up, at school and her experiences in writing for and making television to celebrate her otherness, the Misfit badge she proudly discovered and shared with a group of friends at school and which has gone on to shape and define her for better or worse. This is a delicately balanced speech. There is anger here, and a really serious message about celebrating who we are and not giving up what makes us unique as soon as we feel we have been accepted into the mainstream. It is also a rebuke to those of us who feel that we can abuse our power and bully or shame the people we brand as misfits. The whole thing is lifted by humour and the humility of Coel to admit the mistakes that she has made and the learning she has had to do on her journey. Funny, angry, dark and passionate, this is a wonderful manifesto. It's slim size belies the huge messages it conveys.

Michaela Coel is an incredibly talented writer and actor and over the last decade has started to break down the barriers within the television and film” system”: This book is a call to arms for all of us who don’t feel we fit into a defined view of life and society ( often the tabloid stereotype of a halcyon 1950s England ) Coel writes in such an accessible way that you don’t want her to stop telling her stories of her misfit experiences - some the harrowing events in her life and laid bare . Barriers and future paths are developing in 2021 and this book gives a positive view that if we all support each other more much could be achieved. Coel is unique and her voice needs to be heard to liberate those who are often trapped in a society that seems to reward the privileged few more than those who truly deserve to be recognised. A concise but rewarding read that will leave me thinking about the ‘shaking ladder ‘for a long time to come.

A short and sharp read that includes the full transcript of Coel's Edinburgh Festival MacTaggart lecture. The introduction to lecture provided a wonderful insight and gave more context to the content. Fans of Michaela Coel will not be disappointed with Misfits.

In 2018, Michaela Coel was asked to speak in front of a crowd of 4,000 people at a TV Festival in Edinburgh. Her speech for The MacTaggart Lecture is presented here, with some minor changes to suit the print edition. What I did was play the video of her speaking on YouTube and read along at the same time, and it was a most enjoyable way to enjoy it. I know it's on Audiobook too, but it was lovely to be able to see her as well as hear her speak (I have to confess, I did speed her up a bit, I'm sorry Michaela). The speech itself is inspiring, raw, honest, very emotional to listen to in parts (CW for sexual assault and mention of suicide), with Michaela speaking about her life, her progression from young drama student to actress/creator/producer, but also racism, abuse, misogyny, and the concept of Misfits in general. The book is so short, and there's very little in it apart from the lecture, but it's still always nice to spend some time with Michaela. Recommended for fans and newbies alike! Thank you to the publisher for the ARC via Netgalley. CW for mentions of SA, Suicide & Racism