Warwickshire &amp; West Midlands


<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Mike-Gayle-1.jpg" alt="Mike Gayle" class="wp-image-70413" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Mike-Gayle-1.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Mike-Gayle-1-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Mike-Gayle-1-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Mike-Gayle-1-768x768.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Mike-Gayle-1-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Birmingham-based novelist Mike Gayle didn’t just arrive on the literary scene, he plunged straight in <em>The Sunday Times</em> Top 10 bestseller list with his debut <em>My Legendary Girlfriend</em> and has never looked back. Ahead of his appearance at <a href="https://www.theheathbookshop.co.uk/literary-and-music-festival/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Heath Bookshop Literature &amp; Music Festival</a> (<strong>Wed 15 – Sun 19 Apr</strong>), Gayle lets us in on the cultural fixations that shaped him – from a youth spent raised on <em>Smash Hits</em> and dreams of becoming a music journalist to writing as an agony uncle and eventually one of the UK’s most beloved bestselling authors. Here’s what keeps his cultural inspiration ticking.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-books">BOOKS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1500" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/The-Psychology-of-Money.jpg" alt="The Psychology of Money front cover" class="wp-image-70417" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/The-Psychology-of-Money.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/The-Psychology-of-Money-533x800.jpg 533w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/The-Psychology-of-Money-667x1000.jpg 667w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/The-Psychology-of-Money-768x1152.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Year-on-year I’d say I read 30 books – mostly non-fiction. Right now I’m reading <em>The Psychology of Money</em> by Morgan Housel, and <em>The Midnight Library</em> by Matt Haig is next on the list (gearing up to chair one of his events in May as part of his UK tour). As for sparking the creative juices flow, Will Storr’s <em>The Science of Storytelling </em>gave me the lightbulb moment I needed – it&#8217;s an eye-opener to say the least. The one book I always go back to? <em>Jude the Obscure</em> by Thomas Hardy. I first read this when I was 17 and it transports me back to that era of my life.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-theatre">THEATRE</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Much-Ado-Nothing.jpg" alt="Much Ado Nothing at The RSC" class="wp-image-70419" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Much-Ado-Nothing.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Much-Ado-Nothing-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Much-Ado-Nothing-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Much-Ado-Nothing-768x768.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Much-Ado-Nothing-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Image credit: Marc Brenner</figcaption></figure>



<p>I make regular trips to the <a href="https://www.rsc.org.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">RSC</a> and <a href="https://www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/whats-on/a-midsummer-nights-dream/?gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=23685639006&amp;gbraid=0AAAAADNOilw-xt3n5W5Corne1ESXfZF-p&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjw1tLOBhAMEiwAiPkRHtEPKVwoMMNDR6lpokErETz6g469y9QQmvxeTSZ5Vrx1zKB1ys3EQxoCVyUQAvD_BwE" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Birmingham Rep</a> – most recently I saw  football-themed <em>Much Ado About Nothing </em>at the RSC, which was great, and <em>Starter for Ten</em> at the Rep. As for habits: no snacks (sorry), I refuse to sit through wrapper-crinkling, save it for the interval. I never sit too close to the stage (my neck and view matter most) and always arrive early – because nobody enjoys the awkward late shuffle.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cinema">CINEMA</h2>



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<p>I love the whole cinema experience. There’s no pausing or checking your phone – you’re completely locked in. I recently watched <em>Amélie </em>for it&#8217;s 25<sup>th</sup> anniversary, and in terms of influence, I love all early Woody Allen films such as <em>Annie Hall</em> and <em>Manhattan</em>. The <em>Before Sunrise</em> trilogy by Richard Linklater is an all-time favourite too. <em>American Fiction</em> by Cord Jefferson is one that recently stuck with me – funny, powerful, and completely memorable. And while I don’t <em>really</em> believe in guilty pleasures, you can&#8217;t beat a cheesy Nineties thriller – think Michael Douglas, Sharon Stone, and <em>of course</em> Douglas&#8217; scene-stealing V-neck in <em>Basic Instinct.</em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tv">TV</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/The-Pitt.jpg" alt="Noah Wyle in The Pitt" class="wp-image-70422" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/The-Pitt.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/The-Pitt-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/The-Pitt-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/The-Pitt-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Noah Wyle in <em>The Pitt</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>I&#8217;m sucked in to <em>The Pitt</em> at the moment, which is set over a single day in a hospital – very intense and relentless. I’m also rewatching <em>Evil</em> and enjoying <em>The Other Bennet Sister</em>. I’d say <em>Small Prophets </em>has also lived up to its hype this last year. Believe the hype, it&#8217;s fantastic.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-exhibitions">EXHIBITIONS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Ozzy-Osbourne-exhibition-1000x667.jpg" alt="Ozzy osbourne exhibtion " class="wp-image-70450" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Ozzy-Osbourne-exhibition-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Ozzy-Osbourne-exhibition-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Ozzy-Osbourne-exhibition-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Ozzy-Osbourne-exhibition.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Image Credit: Birmingham Museums Trust</figcaption></figure>



<p>Last year I saw<em> Donald Rodney’s Visceral Canker</em> exhibition at Nottingham Contemporary which explored illness and race. It was very powerful. Everyone keeps recommending the <a href="https://www.birminghammuseums.org.uk/exhibitions/working-class-hero" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Ozzy Osbourne: Working Class Hero</em> </a>exhibition at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (<strong>running until Sun 27 Sept 2026</strong>), so that’s on my list.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-podcasts">PODCASTS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/More-or-Less-Podcast.jpg" alt="More or Less podcast" class="wp-image-70429" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/More-or-Less-Podcast.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/More-or-Less-Podcast-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/More-or-Less-Podcast-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/More-or-Less-Podcast-768x768.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/More-or-Less-Podcast-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>I love a good podcast – <em>More or Less</em> from the BBC is a current fave. It examines statistics in the news, because people always reel off stats to prove one thing or another, but there is rarely any context behind them, <em>More or Less</em> dives straight into that. Then <em>The History of Rock</em>, which is incredibly detailed and ambitious. A friend of mine introduced me to this, it’s just a guy who isn’t musically trained but is a huge rock music fan and decided to put together a series of the history of rock music. There’s hours and hours of it, so it’s easy to fall down the rabbit hole.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-music">MUSIC</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/02/Jazz-Music.jpg" alt="Jazz Music" class="wp-image-68625" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/02/Jazz-Music.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/02/Jazz-Music-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/02/Jazz-Music-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/02/Jazz-Music-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>I love jazz, contemporary, and classical – basically anything that sounds like it belongs on a film soundtrack, Hans Zimmer and Max Ritcher are the usual suspects on my playlist. I am currently obsessed with Matthew Halsall, a jazz musician from Leeds. There&#8217;s no lyrics, no vocals, just him and the orchestra he works with – think meditative and calming vibes. As for when I write, no music. Noise-cancelling headphones <em>plus</em> nothing playing, and you have yourself a writer reaching flow state. </p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-quick-fire-questions">QUICK FIRE QUESTIONS</h2>



<p><strong>Male or female protagonist?</strong><br>Both.</p>



<p><strong>Books or theatre?</strong><br>Books.</p>



<p><strong>Fictional character you’d invite to dinner?</strong><br>Adrian Mole.</p>



<p><strong>Favourite Birmingham spot for inspiration?</strong><br>Early Bird Bakery.</p>



<p><strong>Creative habit you can’t give up?</strong><br>Planning.</p>



<p><strong>Hardest book to write?</strong><br>The one I’m currently writing.</p>



<p><strong>Plot twist you’re proud of?</strong><br>I can’t say – it would give it away.</p>



<p><strong>Book you hope will be most memorable?</strong><br>All of them.</p>



<p><strong><em>Mike Gayle will be speaking at <a href="https://www.theheathbookshop.co.uk/literary-and-music-festival/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Heath Bookshop Literature &amp; Music Festival</a> on Fri 17 Apr. </em></strong></p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-in-the-mood-for-more">IN THE MOOD FOR MORE? </h2>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://warks.muddystilettos.co.uk/wellbeing/7-wild-sauna-and-swim-spots-in-warks-and-the-west-mids/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">7 wild sauna-and-swim spots in Warks and the West Mids</a></li>



<li><a href="https://warks.muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/arts-culture-things-to-do/arts-culture-picks-for-spring-in-warks-west-mids/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Arts &amp; Culture picks for Spring in Warks &amp; West Mids</a></li>



<li><a href="https://warks.muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/whats-on/whats-on-april-50-of-the-best-things-to-do-in-warks-west-mids/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Amazing April: 50+ of the best things to do in Warks &amp; West Mids</a></li>
</ul>


My Cultural Kicks: Mike Gayle, author

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