Alan Carr says his childhood bullies have asked him to sign their copies of his memoir

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Alan Carr’s ITV show Changing Ends reflects on his time at school, and highlights the trouble he faced with bullies in Northampton.

But the comedian has revealed that some of his bullies have had the audacity to show up to book-signing events and ask for his autograph.

At an ITV press conference, Carr was asked if people he depicted in his semi-autobiographical show Changing Ends reach out to him, and the 48-year-old comedian shared that he did “feel a bit bad with the old bullies, because I’m not going to lie I was a bit annoying as a child”.

“Looking back, maybe they had a point”, he joked.

He went on to share a story about encountering these old acquaintances: “When I did my autobiography [Look Who It Is!], I did a book signing at the local store, and a couple of them were there”, he said, adding they asked if he could sign the book in their name.

Carr shared that they came up to him, elated, asking if he remembered them. “I said, ‘Yeah, I do mate. How do you spell t***?’” he joked.

The comedian seemed to share sympathy with them though, as he stated: “I don’t think people realise they’re bullying.”

This reveal came after a premiere of episode one of Changing Ends 2, the sequel to the hit first series. The episode sees a young Alan, played by Oliver Savell, being teased for his inability to go out to the cinema and pretend to be 15. Instead, he would rather spend his Saturday evening watching the wrestling on TV with his mum, played by Nancy Sullivan.

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The first series followed a young Carr going through the hardships of growing up in Northampton in the 1980s.

In a five-star review for season one, The Independent’s critic Sean O’Grady wrote that the series was “the making of a national treasure”, and was “that most joyous of things: a smart, inventive, honest and charming coming-of-age story”.

The second series continues shortly after the first, as young Carr is now at an age where the prospect of puberty dawns upon him, and he starts to feel less confident in himself. He also has to try to keep his father’s attention when he needs it most, while his dad (Shaun Dooley) wants to focus on his football club, Northampton Town FC.

The show also stars Gabby Best, Harry Peacock and Rourke Mooney, and is out on 13 July on ITVX.