In The Nick Of Time The Autobiography Of John Altman Eastenders Nick Cotton

John Altman, perhaps better known as "Nasty" Nick Cotton, has become a household name since he first strolled onto screens and transformed the role of TV villain. Altman appeared in the first episode of EastEnders a show which has gone on to become a British national treasure. His role as Nick Cotton is somewhat iconic, characterized by his famous line "Alright Ma?" Not only is Altman s life on set truly captivating, (made abundantly clear in In the Nick of Time) his life off-screen is equally incredible. In this autobiography, Altman candidly recounts his past, from his travels worldwide to struggles with personal demons. His brutal honesty provides a refreshing insight into the man behind his many characters."

From the moment he exploded onto our screens in 1985 as 'Nasty' Nick Cotton, uttering the infamous phrase 'Alright, Ma?' John Altman changed the face of TV villains for good. As one of the show's original cast members, he is much admired for his role as the leather-jacketed, chain-smoking son of Dot Cotton in the long-running BBC soap, EastEnders, a role that spanned thirty years. Since appearing in the very first episode, he has been at the heart of the show, his character central to many famous storylines, to the extent that he was also given his own spin-off episode, The Return of Nick Cotton, in 2000. But there is far more to John's story than Nick Cotton. This searingly honest autobiography traces the colourful childhood of a desperately shy and art-loving boy growing up in a loving household where he was encouraged to follow his dreams. But there was always something pulling him to test the boundaries – as a teenager he managed to get himself arrested on suspicion of drug possession on the way back from a gap year in India, and the experimentation didn't stop there. Yet for all the tales of acting in film, theatre and television, and the people he has known and worked with, there was once a darker side to John's story. For it was the descent into alcoholism that was to test him the most. It cost him his marriage and almost his sanity, even while his own battle with his demons allowed him to shape Nick Cotton into one of the most memorable soap characters of our times. Now, for the first time, John tells it as it is, in his own inspiring words: the highs and the desperate lows and how, finally, he conquered his addiction for good.

This innovative and timely collection offers a wide-reaching critical evaluation of performance in television, mapping out key conventions, practices and concerns while introducing performance theory and criticism to the established field of television studies. Chapters from leading scholars move through a range of examples from different styles and genres, from Game of Thrones to America's Next Top Model. Individual performances are analysed in close detail as the authors debate central questions of meaning, value and achievement. Opening out new pathways for inquiry and investigation, this book is an important touchstone for undergraduate and postgraduate students of television, media and theatre studies with an interest in the work of actors and non-actors on screen.

Fifty-two exclusive interviews with past and present cast members of EastEnders, including Barbara Windsor, Steve McFadden, June Brown, John Altman, Sid Owen, Patsy Palmer, Pam St. Clement, Perry Fenwick, Natalie Cassidy, James Alexandrou, Derek Martin, Laila Morse, Danniella Westbrook, John Bardon, Wendy Richard, Susan Tully, Todd Carty, Leslie Grantham, Anita Dobson, Gillian Taylforth, Michelle Collins, Martin Kemp, Gretchen Franklin, Nick Berry, Lucy Speed, Martine McCutcheon, Michael Greco, among many others. "I usually don't do interviews. I really just called to tell you that I like your paper..." -Steve McFadden (Phil Mitchell)

The Encyclopedia of Television, second edtion is the first major reference work to provide description, history, analysis, and information on more than 1100 subjects related to television in its international context. For a full list of entries, contributors, and more, visit the Encyclo pedia of Television, 2nd edition website.