Miranda Hart : the unauthorised biography

For the first time, author Sophie Johnson reveals the story behind Miranda's rise to fame.

The comedian was born in Torquay in 1972, yet despite graduating with a degree in politics, she always wanted to be a comedian.

In 2002 she performed at the Edinburgh Festival, and her early career was followed by Jennifer Saunders, who cast Miranda in an Ab Fab Christmas special. TV roles such as The Vicar of Dibley, Nighty Night, Hyperdrive and Not Going Out followed - before Miranda Hart's Joke Shop was commissioned by BBC Radio 2 in 2008, leading to the development of the smash hit series Miranda, which made her a household name.

Since then, Miranda has branched out into straight acting, with a highly-acclaimed role in BBC drama Call the Midwife.

She is the newest comedy legend to capture the imagination of the public - this is her full story.