East 17 star Tony Mortimer reads his first ever book after turning 50
But he hasn't looked back since picking one up at the start of lockdown and has now read 67 books - and recently started writing his own novel after being inspired
Former East 17 star Tony Mortimer is about to write a novel - after reading a book for the first time earlier this year.
He picked up a hardback for the first time in April and it changed his life.
He was 50 when he started reading, forced to act when the boredom of lockdown set in.
But since then he has nearly worked his way through 70.
So inspired is he by reading that he is now putting the pieces together as he attempts to become an author.
The 90s star said he couldn't think of anything worse than books before 2020.
But a chat with daughter Ocean, 27, changed his outlook totally.
Secrets of the Greek Revival by Eva Pohler - a bestselling American mystery writer - changed it all for Tony he says he will never look back.
He told The Times: "I can't remember reading a novel ever. I couldn't think of anything more boring.
"I thought I'm gonna force myself to get to the end of this.
"I did, and I've just fallen in love with reading," said the former boyband member.
It seems Tony isn't the only person now addicted to reading in a rare positive from the pandemic.
Penguin Classics editorial director Jess Harrison told The Week that sales increase by 69 per cent since March.
"We were expecting possibly to see a spike in comfort reads, like cosy crime or light comic novels," she said.
"Instead it seems that readers have been inspired in lockdown to tackle the great literary monuments.
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