Mikey Walsh

Mikey Walshis a British writer, columnist, and LGBT activist, best known for his series of autobiographical books.

Walsh was brought up to be a bare-knuckle fighter in the Romany Gypsy community, but being gay, he was forced to leave his family and culture in 1996.

Walsh suffers from social anxiety disorder, and is known to avoid public appearances and interviews because of it. His last public interview was in 2011, for BBC Radio 4's The Choice with Michael Buerk, in which he spoke about his life and what brought him to have to leave his culture.

In 2014 and 2015, Walsh was added to The Independent's Rainbow List of the most influential British LGBT people.

Gypsy Boy (2010), Walsh's debut autobiography and UK best-seller. Published by Hodder & Stoughton UK and St. Martin's Press USA.

Gypsy Boy: On the Run (2011)Walsh's second autobiography and sequel to Gypsy Boy, also a UK best-seller. Published by Hodder & Stoughton UK and St. Martin's Press USA.

The audiobooks for both titles were read by Walsh himself, and published by Audible.com.

The film adaptation of Walsh's first book, Gypsy Boy, is currently in development, produced by Bowery and Bond Films and screenplay adapted by James Graham. X+Y director Morgan Matthews is set to direct, and Benedict Cumberbatch is going to star, playing Walsh's Father.

Walsh was filmed for the first time to share his coming out story for The Albert Kennedy Trust's winter appeal.

Walsh has been featured in Attitude's "Gay Role Models" issue, and has written various guest columns for Gay Times.