Mikey Walsh

Mikey Walsh
Mikey Walsh
Born (1980-09-22) 22 September 1980 (age 46)
OccupationsWriter, columnist

Mikey Walsh (born 22 September 1980) is a British writer and columnist, best known for his autobiography Gypsy Boy and its follow-up, Gypsy Boy on the Run.

Early life

Walsh was born on 22 September 1980. He brought up to be a bare-knuckle fighter in the Romani community. He was forced to leave his family and culture in 1996 after coming out as gay.

Career

In 2010, Walsh published his debut novel and autobiography Gypsy Boy. The book became a UK best-seller. It was published by Hodder & Stoughton UK and St. Martin's Press USA.

Gypsy Boy: On the Run (2011) was Walsh's second autobiography and sequel to Gypsy Boy, also a UK best-seller. It was published by Hodder & Stoughton UK and St. Martin's Press USA.

Walsh's first interview was for BBC Radio 4's The Choice with Michael Buerk in 2011, where he spoke about his life and what brought him to have to leave his culture.

In 2014 and 2015, Walsh was added to The Independent's Rainbow List of the most influential British LGBT people. In 2015, Walsh was filmed to share his coming out story for The Albert Kennedy Trust's winter appeal.

The film adaptation of Gypsy Boy was announced to be in development since soon after the memoir's publication, with the screenplay adapted by James Graham. X+Y director Morgan Matthews was set to direct, and Benedict Cumberbatch was set to play Walsh's father. As of 2025, it is still in pre-production.

In the years since the publication of his memoirs, Walsh has been featured in Attitude's "Gay Role Models" issue, and has written various guest columns for Gay Times.

References

  1. ↑ "Interview: Mikey Walsh, author". The Scotsman. 17 July 2011. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  2. ↑ Atkinson, Laura (6 June 2010). "Gypsy Boy: a Traveller's Tale". Culture: Sunday times. Archived from the original on 29 May 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  3. ↑ Crummy, Colin (1 November 2009). "Gypsy King". Attitude Magazine. Attitude Media LTD. 'Attitude talks to Mikey Walsh, Author of the harrowing memoir, Gypsy Boy
  4. ↑ "Harry Styles Turns Bookworm As He Snuggles Up With 'Gypsy Boy'". OMG!. Yahoo news Network. 7 June 2013. Archived from the original on 10 June 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  5. ↑ "Sunday Times Bestseller List- Number One: Gypsy Boy, by Mikey Walsh". The Sunday Times. 21 March 2010. Archived from the original on 10 June 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2015. Bittersweet memoir of a man born into a Romany family
  6. ↑ Hoare, Jo (2 June 2012). "Heat's Top Ten Books: Number ONE- Gypsy Boy II: On The Run". HEAT Magazine. No. 2867. 'So intense, you might miss your bus stop'.
  7. ↑ "Interview: Mikey Walsh: Gypsy Boy On The Run, Author" (Print and Online). The Scotsman. Johnston Press. 17 July 2011. Retrieved 31 March 2015. Mikey doesn't see his life story as tragic
  8. ↑ Jameson, Greg (16 July 2011). "Gypsy Boy on the Run Interview: pt 1". Entertainment Focus. Little Pip Digital. Retrieved 31 March 2015. EF speak to bestselling author Mikey Walsh about his incredible childhood memoirs
  9. ↑ "HOT LIST: No 3 – Gypsy Boy on the Run". Heat Magazine. 28 June 2011.
  10. ↑ "Pick of the Week: The Choice". Radio Times. No. 21–27 May 2011. 21 May 2011. p. 162. Mikey Walsh talks to Michael Buerk about his agonising decision to leave his gypsy community and family behind to face an alien world with no education or support, knowing he would never be able to return.
  11. ↑ "Listen: The Choice BBC Radio 4". London Evening Standard. 24 May 2011. p. Listings. Archived from the original (Print) on 6 April 2020. Retrieved 3 April 2015. Prepare to sob. Mikey Walsh explains his painful decision to turn his back on his Gypsy community in the first of a new series of The Choice
  12. ↑ "The Independent: The Rainbow List". The Independent on Sunday. Independent Press LTD. 9 November 2014. Archived from the original on 14 May 2022. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  13. ↑ "The Independent: The Rainbow List 2015". The Independent on Sunday. Independent Press LTD. 15 November 2015. Archived from the original on 14 May 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  14. ↑ Butterworth, Benjamin (3 December 2014). "Duncan James, Mikey Walsh and Celebs discuss Coming Out". Gay Times Magazine. Archived from the original on 10 June 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  15. ↑ "Mikey Walsh Tells AKT about his coming out Experiences". Youtube.Com/AlbertKennedyTrust. The Albert Kennedy Trust. 15 December 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  16. ↑ Powell, Emma (4 December 2014). "Celebrities Discuss Coming out for The Albert Kennedy Trust". London Evening Standard. Alaxander & Evgeny Lebedev. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  17. ↑ "A Plus One's Guide to the red carpet" (Print and Online). Tatler. 8 February 2013. Retrieved 3 April 2015. Gypsy Boy, by Mikey Walsh. It's an 80s gay coming-of-age story...
  18. ↑ Cavendish, Dominic (13 December 2012). "James Graham interview: a Right honorable playwright at 30" (Print and Online). The Telegraph. Retrieved 3 April 2015. James is now adapting the best-selling memoir Gypsy Boy for BBC Films
  19. ↑ Jaafar, Ali. "BBC Films sets Morgan Matthews to direct 'Gypsy Boy'". Deadline. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  20. ↑ Barraclough, Leo. "Cannes: Morgan Matthews to direct Gypsy Boy". Variety. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  21. ↑ Grater, Tom (8 September 2017). "Benedict Cumberbatch to star in hard-hitting Gypsy Boy". Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  22. ↑ Lang, Brent (8 September 2017). "Benedict Cumberbatch to star in Gypsy Boy". Variety.com. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  23. ↑ "Gypsy Boy". British Council UK Films Database.
  24. ↑ "A Gypsy Wanders- Mikey Walsh talks about the phenomenal follow up to his first". Attitude Magazine. No. 207. August 2011. p. 32. 'You can't change what's in your blood. i am a gypsy man. and i am gay'.
  25. ↑ "The Role Models". Attitude Magazine. No. The Role Models Issue (with Stephen Fry). Attitude Media LTD. November 2010.
  26. ↑ Walsh, Mikey (26 October 2014). "No such thing as Gay Gypsies?". Gay Times Magazine. No. 439. Millivres Prowler LTD. p. 22.
  27. ↑ Walsh, Mikey (26 November 2014). "Goodbye Castle Grayskull". Gay Times Magazine. No. 440. Millivres Prowler LTD. p. 16.
  28. ↑ Walsh, Mikey (26 January 2015). "It's not you, Some people are Just C***s". Gay Times Magazine. No. 441. Millivres Prowler LTD. p. 16.
  29. ↑ Walsh, Mikey (26 February 2015). "The Selfies, the gym, the need for validation". Gay Times Magazine. No. 442. Millivres Prowler LTD. p. 17.
  30. ↑ Walsh, Mikey (26 March 2015). "Born Gay". Gay Times Magazine. No. 443. Millivres Prowler LTD. p. 16. 'To know adversity, to fight it, and win. that makes you the strongest people in the world'.
  31. ↑ Walsh, Mikey (26 August 2014). "Kate Bush: Before the Dawn Opening Night Review". Gay Times Magazine. Millivres Prowler LTD. Archived from the original on 16 February 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2015. Did that just happen?