Born into the poorest and least-promising background and with only a loving mother's support to help her, Martine has dared to follow her dreams of stardom and has packed more in her twenty-four years than most. Her story starts with a life on the run from a violent father, drinks, drugs, abduction and even an attempted murder, moving on to her early bid for pop stardom, early loves, her big break in EastEnders, the behind-the-scenes friendships and enmities and the shocking story of how she really came to leave the series.

The British public have taken Martine McCutcheon to their hearts - she is 'one of us' - and her life story is an inspiration to anyone who dares to dream.