Reality star Gemma Collins’ car crash interview goes viral

BRITISH reality star Gemma Collins has just written a book. Her attempts to talk about that book in an interview really have to be seen to be believed.

BRITISH reality star Gemma Collins has a new, self-penned book to flog called How To Be A Diva.

And it seems like an appropriate title, given her bizarre behaviour in a UK magazine interview to publicise the new tome that was published this week.

The Only Way Is Essex star and regular social media favourite chatted to a journalist with celeb magazine Now named Hayley Minn, in a relatively brief interview that saw Collins frequently defer to her long-suffering publicist.

The problem, as Collins sees it, is that Minn has not even bothered to read her book before the interview.

“OK, so you’re doing this interview without having done any research or read the book or anything?” Collins asks her interviewer after finding out she hadn’t read the (no doubt gripping) tome.

Pulitzers, she’s coming for ya.

She’s earned her divaship. Picture: Getty

Minn is quick to point out that she has not actually been provided with a copy. The publicist present jumps in to explain that How To Be A Diva has only been sent out “to certain people” (apparently Minn does not have the security clearance to handle the secrets contained within).

Collins then turns on her PR.

“All these questions need to be about the book and if they haven’t got the book in front of them …” she says.

Nevertheless, they forge on, after Minn assures Collins that she’s been “briefed” on the book’s contents.

The reality star appears to settle into the interview for a moment, revealing that her biggest literary inspiration is Kim Kardashian (wild, truly wild).

But another question from Minn, asking what sort of advice can found in the book, sees Collins return to her previous complaint.

“Erm … have they given you any stuff from the book? Then you would know … It’s going to be hard to do this if you don’t know.”

Minn (who by this point has earned some sort of journalistic award — or at least a stiff drink at the nearest bar) valiantly continues her line of questioning. What’s the best piece of advice to be found in How To Be A Diva?

Have you read her book? More to the point, has SHE read her book?

Collins’ response is something to behold.

“Well, if you read it, you would know, so … I think wait until you get a copy and then you’ll be able to embrace the book. It’s hard to do an interview if you haven’t done any research on the book or been sent it. I’m going to get them to send you a book and you can read up on it and then maybe we’ll do this another time. Because we’re meant to be doing an interview on the book, but you haven’t got the book in front of you, so you don’t know what it’s about.”

By now, sensing she’s reached an interviewing dead end not even Michael Parkinson could break through, Minn changes tack, telling Collins she’s got some other questions up her sleeve that aren’t specifically related to the book.

“OK, so this was meant to be about the book. Basically, any of the interviews have to be about the book; anything else isn’t relevant,” says Collins, and with a quick goodbye, the interview is over.

Incredible.

As you’d expect, Collins’ utter refusal to talk about her book with anyone who hasn’t already read it cover to cover — despite the fact it’s not yet in shops and her publicists haven’t sent it out to interviewers — is getting her a lot of attention online:

In true reality TV star style, Gemma herself appears grateful for all the attention:

In another recent interview with Heat magazine, Collins told a journalist that she fully expects How To Be A Diva to be bigger than the Bible.

“I think this book is bigger than the Bible and do you know why? Because this is going to spread cheer like the Bible,” she said.

“You know how that touches our hearts and everything? My book does the same. It spreads happiness and it’s not the sort of book you’ll read once either — you’ll go back to it and back to it. I cannot stop reading it.”

Attention journalists, publicists, the general public: PLEASE give Gemma Collins’ literary ambitions the respect they deserve. After all, she’s gone on record as a massive fan of the dictionary:

.

Originally published as Reality star Gemma Collins’ car crash interview goes viral