Miranda Hart says Selena Gomez was inspiration while writing new book

Miranda Hart has told how American actress and singer Selena Gomez was an inspiration while she was writing her new book.

Comedian and actress Hart, 51, has released her book, I Haven’t Been Entirely Honest With You, which is described as a “honest exploration of the lessons she has learned on her journey from illness to recovery”.

The TV star, best known for popular BBC sitcom Miranda, has spoken about being diagnosed with Lyme disease.

Hart said on The Graham Norton Show: “I watched Selena’s documentary (My Mind And Me) and it gave me the courage to be vulnerable and share my feelings about my disease. It kept me writing.”

Gomez, 32, rose to fame as part of Disney series Wizards Of Waverly Place, and more recently has gained plaudits for her role in Disney+ series Only Murders In The Building alongside renowned comedy stars Steve Martin and Martin Short.

In 2020, Gomez announced she had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder during an emotional online chat with fellow former Disney star Miley Cyrus.

The Texas-born star, who is a Grammy-nominated singer, went on to explore her struggles in a “uniquely raw and intimate” Apple TV+ documentary, titled My Mind And Me, which charted her six-year rise to fame.

Hart said: “The book is not just about illness; it is about how I learnt to live well and free with joy and meaning despite my circumstances. I now feel I can be in the world as me. I feel fully free, if not fully recovered.”

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that can be spread to humans by infected ticks, according to the NHS website.

Hart recently got married and has not revealed her husband’s identity, but told the BBC show of their July wedding: “It was a very small gathering and for no reason at all it was Hawaiian themed with inflatable flamingos, coconut bowling and a steel band.”

Gomez appeared on the show alongside actress Zoe Saldana as they promote their upcoming operatic musical Netflix film Emilia Perez, which follows four women in Mexico.

Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa and Oscar-winning A Fish Called Wanda actor Kevin Kline are also guests.

Singer Rag’n’Bone Man, real name Rory Graham, performs a song from his third studio album, What Do You Believe In?

The Graham Norton Show airs on BBC One on October 11 at 10.40pm and is also available on BBC iPlayer.