Not That I'm Bitter - A Truly, Madly, Funny Memoir by Helen Lederer

Not That I’m Bitter is a memoir by Helen Lederer, reflecting on her experiences as one of a small number of women working at the centre of the alternative comedy scene in the 1980s. A regular on the stand-up circuit and new-wave sketch shows, she describes a decade that helped launch the careers of many comedians who later became widely known.

Lederer recalls sharing stages with Ben Elton and John Hegley, and appearing on television alongside Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders and Harry Enfield. Her work spans programmes including Absolutely Fabulous, Bottom, Happy Families, Naked Video, French and Saunders and Girls on Top, as well as writing for radio and performing in the West End. Alongside the highs, she writes candidly about the difficulties of being seen and heard, and the risks faced by women in the industry.

Key details

• Memoir by Helen Lederer
• Focuses on the alternative comedy scene in the 1980s
• Discusses stand-up, sketch shows, radio writing and West End performance
• References appearances with Ben Elton, John Hegley, Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders and Harry Enfield
• Includes discussion of mental health and changing attitudes to women

Synopsis

In Not That I’m Bitter, Helen Lederer writes frankly about the opportunities and obstacles she encountered in comedy, including the limited space available for women at the top and the pressures of working in a male-dominated environment. She also looks beyond one decade, drawing on her background as the child of a Jewish-Czech wartime refugee and exploring long-running struggles with weight and self-esteem.

The memoir addresses darker periods alongside humour, including addiction, PTSD, a child’s anorexia and feelings of self-sabotage despite success, opening up a wider conversation about mental health.