Press & Media
On this page you will find different links and articles to past interviews where Alex has discussed Two Lonely Otters. Here you can find out a little more about the writing process and inspiration behind the book.
Gaydio Interview with
Paris Munro
With Alex's debut interview with Paris, he was joined alongside Cheryl Fergison where they dived into the theme's contained within the book as well as Alex giving a glimpse into his writing process. They also discussed their relationship as mother and son as well as being creatives in the ever changing creative industry.
Lytham St Annes Express - Tony Durkin
TV Cheryl so proud of son's poetry book debut.
"The son of a former Eastenders TV actor now resident in Fylde has gone into print for the first time with a new book. Alex Saddiqi, 24, is an up and coming writer whose mum - actress Cheryl Fergison - is one of the celebrities switching on Lytham Christmas lights on Saturday.
His new release Two Lonely Otters focuses on the feelings that arise when having to let go of something before you are completely ready to, told through the format of poetry, with themes such as relationships, love, loss and grief being the primary focus of the work.
Alex trained at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA), graduating last year. Although he specialised in acting, he says it was there he realised the power held within written words: "When I started my journey of creating this book back in April, I was going through quite a rough patch in my personal life." he said "Through this period, I felt things that were completely new to me and I wasn't quite sure on how to process them. My friends and family were as supportive as ever but it wasn't until one of them turned to me and went: 'don't bottle it all up inside, use your art' that I had a lightbulb moment. I wrote a poem which then turned into two and then four and then before I knee it, had a book's worth in front of me."
At LIPA, Alex met Fay Rusted, who illustrated the book, and Georgia Clarkson, who has taken care of the management and he said he is grateful to them for their immense contribution to making his dream a reality. Cheryl who lives in Warton, is best known for playing the popular character Heather Trott on BBC soap Eastenders from 2007 to 2012. She said: "Everybody asks me what is my biggest achievement in life and I always reply 'my son'. To say I am a proud mama is an understatement. Alex has had many challenges in his life and through adversity has managed to produce a wonderfully written, heartwarming, heartbreaking and uplifting book of poerty.
Alex's book is on sale now at www.two-lonely-otters.com and he will be selling and signing copies alongside Cheryl in Lytham on Saturday."