Pam Ayers has been fascinated by animals since her first encounter with a friendly golden Labrador at the age of three. She has owned sheep, hens, and mischievous puppies, as well as fallen in love with British wildlife ranging from hedgehogs to bees. I live my life in the hope of coming up with good ideas, of finding myself in a situation, of reading an article, of overhearing a fragment of conversation which sparks off the magic feeling of, 'That's a good idea. I could do something with that'," she explains. Pam is the author of several best-selling poetry collections, including The Works, With These Hands, Surgically Enhanced, You Made Me Late Again!, and Up In The Attic. I think we should all have smaller families: we should all just replace ourselves. Nobody wants to talk about that because it’s such a controversial subject; but if we limited the size of our families, we wouldn’t need so much food and we wouldn’t need to make this horrible slime in laboratories – but that doesn’t fit in with everybody’s culture. I’ve got two sons and I’ve loved having two sons and they were enough. I’m one of a family of six but times have changed since then.” I used to think people expected me only to be funny, so I didn't touch on serious issues," she explains. "Now I love the fact poetry can make difficult feelings accessible.

A beautiful collection from much-loved poet Pam Ayres, compiling her best verse dedicated to her love of animals, including brand new poems and illustrations Much-loved poet and broadcaster Pam Ayres has brought together all the verse she has written about animals over the last five decades for a wonderful new book of poetry. Recent TV appearances have included Morning Live, Alan Titchmarsh’s Love Your Weekend, This Morning, Would I Lie To You, and two series for Channel 5 TV, The Cotswolds with Pam Ayres. In March 2021 a new edition of Pam’s book, With These Hands, was re-issued by Ebury Press/Penguin Books. First published in 1997, this book includes many of Pam’s most popular earlier poems including Yes I’ll Marry You My Dear, Will I Have To Be Sexy at Sixty, The Wonderbra, and How Can That Be My Baby?

Down The Line

This definitive collection brings to life the charming characters and voices of all creatures great and small through Pam’s poetry over the past five decades and is perfect for all animal lovers. One of the funniest, most touching poems in this new collection is also animal-based. But, for once, it’s not about one of her own menagerie. The Racehorse Fred concerns a four-legged Grand National competitor who’s far from confident of his ability to stay the course. As a result, he’s making his will. We’ve teamed up with Ebury Press to offer this fabulous book prize. For your chance to WIN one of FOUR copies of the wonderful Pam Ayres on Animals simply enter your details below. Of course, those performances are enlivened by her distinctive accent, which happily she's never seriously considered changing.

If you don’t want to eat meat, then I respect that very much. But this is such a better way of doing it than going into a supermarket and buying any old lump of meat that might have come from Kazakhstan.” I’ve loved animals for as long as I can remember,” she says. “When I got my first rabbit, I was so thrilled; then I longed for a dog; and then I longed for a horse. I liked being with animals and looking after them and making them comfortable. It’s just the way I’m cut out.”Pam had appeared three times for HM The Queen – at the Silver Jubilee Royal Variety Performance in 1977, at a Royal Gala Charity Reception at St. James Palace in 1996, when Pam, as the only entertainer, performed part of her solo stage show, and finally at Sandringham Women’s Institute in 2004, when the Queen attended in her capacity as President of the Sandringham WI. Subsequently, Pam was honoured to be awarded the MBE in Queen’s Birthday Honours of 2004. Having said all that, this collection is hugely enjoyable, and it’s been great bedtime reading at the end of yet another pandemic day. Not only funny and giving plenty of opportunity for reader identification but also poignant and moving at times. Thank you Pam! I didn’t like the Grand National very much because I hated to see the horses hurt. I know it’s improved now and safer, which I’m glad about, but I always dreaded the green screens going up and the shot that rings out. I do love this poem, though. It’s one of my favourites.” Many of her poems are in school textbooks around the world including the UK, USA, China, Australia, New Zealand, Holland, South Africa, Ireland and Singapore. Pam’s autobiography, The Necessary Aptitude, was the UK’s bestselling female autobiography of 2011.