Melanie Sykes

Melanie Sykes is an author and speaker with twenty-six years of experience in the entertainment industry. 

Since retiring from TV, Melanie has been using her profile to pursue campaigning work, including sharing her understanding of autism and neuro divergency and raising awareness about the impact of misogyny in the media. As Editor-in-chief of online magazine Frank, she also throws light on ethical and environmental issues. 

This summer she published her acclaimed memoir Illuminated: Autism and All the Things I’ve Left Unsaid. Here, she tells her story in full for the first time, discussing how her autism diagnosis has shed new light on her life, and how she believes society needs to completely change its understanding of neurodivergent minds. 

At Chester Literature Festival Melanie will discuss Illuminated with her friend, the broadcaster and presenter Simon Savidge.