Why it pays to blow your own trumpet: Forget modesty - new research reveals the only way to get on in life is shameless self-promotion

By Linda Kelsey
Last updated at 8:15 PM on 27th November 2011

Before the publication of her debut novel, Natasha Solomons would wander in and out of bookshops despairing over how her publication would ever get noticed in a sea of other titles.

‘As a new writer,’ she says, ‘I understood that self-promotion was essential. There are so many books out there — why on earth would a reader pick up mine if they’d never heard of me?’

So the 31-year-old hatched a plot as crafty as that in any novel to get noticed, by trying to beat the world record for the largest number of publicity events — interviews, book readings, signings and such like — for a single book.

Stand out from the crowd: Don't be afraid to promote yourself if you want to be successful
It was enough to get a buzz going. She was invited to speak on Radio 4’s flagship arts programme Front Row before the book had even come out.

And the publicity worked. Since it came out last year, her novel Mr Rosenblum’s List or Friendly Guidance for the Aspiring Englishman has been translated into ten languages and reached the number one spot in Australia.
Natasha understood that self-promotion was the key to success. But why do many women shy away from this? Could it be our traditional British reserve, or the sense that’s it’s inherently unfeminine to champion yourself that is holding us back?

Not only are women bad at self-promotion, sometimes we even do the opposite.

Peninah Thomson, chief executive of the Mentoring Foundation which aims to get more women round the boardroom table, says: ‘Women are more likely to tell you three good reasons why they’re not ready for promotion, whereas a man will give you ten good reasons why you should promote him, even if they are of equal ability.

Publicity machine: Author Natasha Solomons went into overdrive to promote her novel
‘Some women thrive when they are reminded how good they are, due to the fact women are more self-critical. But they should understand that self-promotion is not about puffing yourself up, but stating the truth about your achievements with poise and confidence.

‘Women also need to assume authority rather than waiting to be given it.’

Findings by the international research group Catalyst has found that self-promotion is the single most effective key to women’s success, not just in business but romance and friendship, too.

Those who did the most to make their achievements known advanced further, were more satisfied with their careers and got better pay rises than those who didn’t.

As word-of-mouth about Natasha’s book spread, sales increased — proof that in today’s world, whether you like it or not, smart self-marketing is critical to success.

Kate Grussing, managing director of Sapphire Partners which helps companies hire and promote senior women, says: ‘There are times when modesty is appropriate — giving credit to your team for example — and times when it isn’t.
‘There are very few examples of senior executives who are soft-spoken introverts.’

So what can women do to boost their self-confidence — and consequently their willingness to self-promote — in the workplace?

HIGH STEAKS
Lady Gaga once wore a dress made entirely out of meat in a PR stunt that made world news
First and foremost, says Kate, is taking the time and having the patience to ‘get sufficient road under your tyres’. In other words, the route up the ladder demands resilience and hard work, not just telling yourself you’re a star.

Along the way you need to invest in yourself, Kate believes, by getting further qualifications. And then there are things such as public speaking, essential today whether you are fundraising for a local charity or presenting to your team. Another tool is networking. 

Adds Kate: ‘Seek out roles in which you might fail. Go for jobs without waiting to be tapped on the shoulder. Take risks.’

One woman who epitomises what self-promotion combined with what pure graft can achieve is Michelle Mone, the entrepreneur who has built her Ultimo lingerie brand into an international success and was recently voted Britain’s most powerful woman by Glamour Magazine.

Last year, after losing 6st in just three years, and in a brilliant piece of self-promotion that boosted her brand, the mother-of-three stripped off, aged 39, to become Ultimo’s own underwear model.

Glamorous as she is, following in the footsteps of Ultimo models Kelly Brook and Penny Lancaster, might have been a risk too far for the average businesswoman.

‘I’d worked hard at getting fit,’ says Michelle, ‘and it was the first time in years I felt confident about my body, so in part I was doing it for me.

‘But I also saw this as a way of connecting with real women and making them feel part of the brand.’ 

As Ultimo sales continue to rise it’s clear Michelle’s stunt paid off.
But it’s not just your career that can benefit from self-promotion. Being proactive and putting yourself out there can give your social and love life a boost, too.

Ultimate success: Founder of Ultimo lingerie, Michelle Mone, has been awarded an OBE and boosted her company further when she posed in the underwear
Just as many women struggle to shout about their achievements at work for fear of looking arrogant, similarly it can be hard to make new friendships as women don’t like to be seen to talk about how warm and supportive they are. After all, no one likes a show-off.

Adele McLay, 47, left behind her high-powered career as a financial consultant in New Zealand when she moved to London with her husband and daughter five years ago.

‘It was difficult leaving my job, friends and family to come to a place where I didn’t know anyone, with a young child to look after,’ she explains.

‘I knew I had to re-establish myself, so I made an effort to meet people and get involved with the local community.

‘First I volunteered as a guided reading helper at my daughter Gemma’s school and helped  with its fundraising activities so that I got to know some of the  other parents.

‘Then I became a “friend” of the local concert halls, supporting their events and helping to organise charity evenings.

When our neighbours set up a supper club, we hosted events at our flat and met all sorts of people from all over the area.’

Five years on, her enthusiasm has paid off. ‘Now I have a good network of friends and business acquaintances,’ she says.

Volunteer rather than waiting to be asked.Take a risk — such as working abroad for six months.Strike a balance between confidence and over-confidence.Be visible rather than reticent.Request a pay increase rather than assume one.Focus on your successes rather than your failures.Network, network, network.Seek out a mentor, someone who will champion you. People love to give advice.Dress for the job you want. Buy a new suit if you are going for a more senior role.
In fact, Adele became so good at making friends, she now makes a living out of it — as the director of a networking organisation for businesses in the South-east of England for Business Network International.

‘If I hadn’t been forced to promote myself and have the self-belief to go out and make a new group of friends, I probably would never have got this job,’ she says.

The rewards of self-promotion don’t stop there, either. Stella Biggins, 35, from Wales, has used it to find romance after years of being stuck in a relationship rut.

‘I was finding it hard to meet anybody new,’ she confides. ‘I started by joining a rowing club and an art class, which was a great way to meet people and helped me to feel confident chatting to new people. But there weren’t many men there.’

‘Then I started my own Facebook page to get myself noticed and asked every one of my friends to suggest one male friend who they thought would be suitable for me and to set up a date.’

It worked. Not only did Stella meet her current partner, Aled, through an old school mate, but she also made new friends.

‘Even though it was scary at first, the experience boosted my self-esteem and forced me to believe in myself. ’

The message is salutary but clear. Be proactive, put yourself forward and self-promote.

A go-getting attitude will get you a long way — a new career, promotion or perhaps new friends. And, who knows, you might even find love.

Olympic medallist Liz McColgan reveals the bitter truth about her marriage

By Patricia Kane
Last updated at 3:50 PM on 27th November 2011
Fresh start: Liz McColgan talks about the heartache behind her public image

Standing facing her husband of 23 years across the courtroom, Olympic medal winner  Liz McColgan felt as if she was staring into the eyes of a stranger.
The mother of five listened angrily as Peter McColgan claimed she had assaulted him in front of their children in the family home, and then publicly accused her of being unfaithful in their marriage.
But in just two hours last week, a court would dismiss his allegations after he was branded ‘shifty and conniving’, making up the allegations to ‘ruin’ the retired track star’s coaching career.
For Liz, 47, the outcome was a welcome relief in more ways than one. Not only was her humiliation at standing in the dock over but finally their sham of a marriage was out in the open and there would be no further need to cover up the heartache behind her public image.

Today, in an exclusive interview with The Mail on Sunday, the retired athlete speaks candidly for the first time about the break-up of her marriage and her determination to rebuild her life away from a husband she claims ‘never loved me, only my name and my wealth’.
She also reveals her anger at being treated like a criminal after being arrested over the ‘assault’ on her husband, and of how she hopes now to  be given a second chance in love after finding a new partner.
Sitting in the family’s ?750,000 Victorian home close to Carnoustie, near Dundee, she said: ‘Peter is not the person I knew. I thought he was a  person who was in love with me, that we had this fantastic life together, but now I know he was with me for the great lifestyle and who I was. I don’t think he ever loved me at all.’

Last year, the couple revealed that their  marriage was over and announced their intention to divorce. However, they said they would still live together for the sake of their children Eilish, 21, Martin, 12, Eamonn, 11, Kieran, nine, and Orla, six. The pair would also continue to run their gym business in the grounds of their home.
But the civilised facade was smashed irretrievably in July, when the couple clashed after she received a letter suddenly from Mr McColgan’s lawyer, suggesting they should sell their  luxury home.
In court last week, Mr McColgan, a former Northern Ireland steeplechase runner, claimed that in a heated exchange with his wife, he was ‘prodded’ and punched twice on the face by her before she threw his clothes out of a window, in front of their children.
Recalling the events of that night, which would finally end any appearance of a marriage and see Liz arrested the following day, she said: ‘I can never forgive him for putting me and our children through this ordeal.
United: Liz and Peter McColgan with their children in 2008
‘When the lawyer’s letter arrived, I felt sick to my stomach and I jumped into the car from Loughborough, where I was staying with a friend, and drove for six-and-a-half hours home to confront Peter.
‘I remember when I finally got there, he was standing at the cooker and started sniggering when I asked him why he’d had the letter sent. I shoved him to get him to turn round. He says I punched him in front of the kids, which is not true and the court didn’t believe him either.
‘Yes, our kids were upset that night but not because they saw me hitting him. It was because they heard the argument about him wanting the house sold.’ She admits she then asked him to leave the house, and when he refused she threw his clothes out of the window three times – and each time, stubbornly, he retrieved them – before finally departing.
The following afternoon, Liz said, she was playing rounders in the garden with her children when two police officers arrived to arrest her and take her away. She said: ‘At first, I thought someone was going to step in and say they were joking. When I realised they were absolutely serious, all I could think of were the kids and trying to get someone to look after them while I sorted out the mess.
‘But at the station, two officers held me firmly by each hand – they said it was the alternative to handcuffing me – and frogmarched me to a cell.
Relief: Liz was cleared of assaulting Peter but the case was dismissed and he was described him as 'shifty and conniving'
‘I broke down at that point. It was all too much. I was being treated like a criminal for something I hadn’t done. They took off my rings, fingerprinted me and took my photograph. It was unbelievable. After about two hours in the cell, they took me to an interview room where they put all the allegations to me. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. It was like fantasy land. Yes, I shoved him and I shouldn’t have but I certainly didn’t punch him. I said “No comment” to everything they  said and I was taken back to the cell.
‘I should have been kept in overnight for a court appearance the next morning but they told me that because of who I was, I was unlikely to flee the country, so they would release me.
‘Looking back, I still find it hard to believe I was arrested on such a trumped-up allegation. I think the police dealt with it really poorly.’
At the end of her trial in Arbroath Sheriff Court, Liz was found not guilty of assault after the sheriff rejected her husband’s evidence.
In court, Mr McColgan admitted using ‘spyware’ to check up on his wife on the social networking site Facebook, and to sending anonymous text messages to her and a man he suspected she was having an affair with.
Prime: Liz during the Grand Prix final at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin
In her statement outside court afterwards, she said: ‘There’s a lot more to this story. It’s been a difficult life with Peter McColgan.’
The truth is darker than many could imagine, as she paints a picture of a man who became obsessive about her success after his own career began to wane and who, she claims, eventually controlled every aspect of her life.
It was only three years ago, Liz says, that she tasted freedom for the first time in her life – when he insisted she  return to work after years of concentrating on raising their family.
The pair first met as teenagers in  the US, where they were on college athletics scholarships in Alabama. Then, in 1986, their world changed when Dundee-born Elizabeth Lynch became a household name by winning gold in the 10,000 metres at the  Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh. She married Peter, her first and only boyfriend, in 1987 in her home city.
She said: ‘We got thrown together because of the environment we found ourselves in. I thought we were in love but I’m not sure now after everything I’ve discovered since. I’m not sure if I ever really knew him at all.’ She went on to win a silver medal for Great Britain at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, and at the Commonwealth Games in Auckland in 1990 she retained her 10,000m title.
In 1991, she became the first British woman to hold a world distance title when she won the 10,000m at the World Championships in Tokyo. She also won the New York Marathon that year and was named BBC Sports Personality Of The Year. In 1992 she won the Tokyo Marathon and was awarded an MBE.
Peter retired as a competitor and became her manager. In 1996 she won the London Marathon.
Liz said: ‘All I had to do was  concentrate on my training and he did the rest, which is why I never questioned the control he had over my life, until 2008.’
Describing their situation that year as ‘asset rich, cash poor’, Liz said the couple had successfully managed to accumulate more than 40 homes as part of a property company they jointly owned, as well as the health club.
But she said: ‘By 2008, I had retired and was happily bringing up the children. Peter suddenly said we could do with some extra cash going through the business and I needed to get back into sport. I managed to get back on the fringes of coaching and on to GB management teams.
‘Through that, while Peter stayed at home to look after the main business, I was getting involved in a more social scene that he wasn’t part of. I’d be away for about three or four days at competitions and mixing with athletics coaches, some female but mainly male because that’s the reality of the sport.
‘But increasingly it caused friction between us. I’d go away to competitions and didn’t want to come back – to him. It was only the children who made it bearable.’
She added: ‘Throughout my life, I had always been someone who got up to start training at 5am and went to bed at 9pm. But suddenly I had freedom in my life to develop as my own person and I was enjoying it. I came to the realisation I had missed out on a lot. When I was a teenager, I didn’t go to discos or parties. I was always out training. I didn’t even take the time to enjoy my success.
‘I think I am the only person to win BBC Sports Personality Of The Year and not go to the party afterwards because I was training the next day. Even the day I got married I did a 10k run before the ceremony.’
As the McColgans’ marriage continued to deteriorate, the couple began to live separately within the spacious family home. They were rarely in the same room together, never shared family meals, slept in separate rooms and communicated by text message.  
She claims her husband began to get suspicious when she started staying up late to chat to her new-found friends on social networking sites. She said: ‘There would be  banter between me and them. It was just nonsense as far as I was concerned, a bit tongue-in-cheek. But perhaps some of it did come across as a bit flirty. Unknown to me, Peter had started becoming suspicious and had fitted spyware on the computer to track my conversations.
‘I have to confess I did tell one coach that I was not happy in my marriage. Soon afterwards, Peter began to accuse me of having an affair. It was an absolute lie but nothing I said made him believe me. The arguments got worse.’
It was then she discovered she was being ‘stalked’ – receiving threatening text messages from an anonymous source. In court, Mr McColgan was exposed as the phantom texter who had bought a mobile phone for this purpose. Each time Liz confronted her husband, he denied he was behind the harassment, yet the texts were from someone who clearly knew her movements. In the bar with the other coaches, she would suddenly get a text, accusing her of being with other men and  asking if her husband knew.
Success: After victory in the World Championships in 1991
One message said: ‘What would your hubby think of what you’re doing?’ The other male coach, facing marriage problems of his own, would receive a similar text.
As the McColgans’ marriage continued to deteriorate, the couple began to live separately within the spacious family home. They were rarely in the same room together, never shared family meals, slept in separate rooms and communicated by text message.
Increasingly suspicious that Peter was her ‘stalker’, she confided in a male friend, who also coached on the athletics circuit. She denies  having an affair, saying the relationship became serious only after her marriage was over.
Realising the marriage was at an end, the couple agreed to take a year to try amicably to sort out their personal situation and their businesses.  She says: ‘I thought we were managing to do that until seven months down the line I got the letter seeking the sale of our home.’
She says by that point they were each seeing other people. But she adds: ‘I didn’t leave Peter to be with someone else. I left him to get out of the poisonous situation we were in.’
She declines to reveal her new partner’s identity but says his marriage is ‘now over too’ and that they are ‘taking things slowly’.
Divorce is now looming, but she says the future holds no fears. Suddenly laughing, she says: ‘I’m in a happier place already. I just want to be with my kids. We are going to have a better environment at home and a happier mum. They can see the difference already.
‘I never in a million years envisaged going through what I have done but I was very, very unhappy and I’ve come to the realisation it’s never too late to start over again.’
Last night, Mr McColgan declined to comment.

Sky Sports presenter Kirsty Gallacher reveals she'd pose nude but only on one condition

By Spencer Bright

Last updated at 12:10 AM on 26th November 2011

Kirsty Gallacher isn’t having a great day. She’s all flustered, having damaged a door on her Audi 4x4 colliding with a bollard in the Sky TV car park. ‘I just didn’t see it,’ she says. ‘I got a bit teary when I banged it. I’m not a reckless person. I’ve been up since 3.30am so I blame it on that. I’m an emotional girl. Sensitive.’

She’s still a little discombobulated when we meet but quickly regains her composure. That’s what she’s done for a living for the past 13 years or so: present a calm, bright-eyed image to the world. She started out as a sports news presenter and veered off into light entertainment via Gladiators on Sky1, Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway on ITV1 and the National Lottery show.

She returned to Sky this summer, and so avoided being caught up in the controversy that exploded there in January when presenters Richard Keys and Andy Gray were sacked for crude sexist remarks. She’s uncomfortable the subject is even raised.

Kirsty started out as a sports news presenter and veered off into light entertainment via Gladiators on Sky1, Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway on ITV1 and the National Lottery show

‘I’ve never experienced sexism at Sky. I wasn’t at Sky when those things happened and I’ve never worked with any of the people involved, so I don’t think it’s fair to comment. It’s not my understanding of the way Sky is run.’

I bring up a comment made by Samantha Brick, a former Sky TV executive, who said, ‘If Kirsty had heard what people said about her, she would have been horrified. Male producers made regular comments about her cleavage and said she was only on TV because she is attractive.’ It’s the first time Kirsty has heard this allegation and she’s horrified. ‘It couldn’t be further from the truth. I wouldn’t have come back otherwise.’ Kirsty began presenting at the age of 22. In those early days, objections were aired by male die-hards.

I was badly advised with Loaded. But at least I didn’t do underwear... I wouldn’t do it again. It’s not me. It’s out of my comfort zone.

‘When Gabby Logan and I started, traditionalists said, “Do I want a woman reading my football scores?” I think people are more understanding now. I don’t see it as a male world any more. There are many more female sports presenters now. Going back to Sky, I feel equal. People know I know what I’m talking about. I’m 35 now, I’ve got presenting experience and knowledge of sport. I’ve proved I can do my job.’

Can she see a day when all post-match pundits are women? ‘I can certainly see it. Why not?’ Kirsty considers the leading female sports presenters as friends. ‘Gabby, Kelly Dalglish, Clare Balding, I look up to all of them. I’m not saying I’m anything like them. They are brilliant at their job. I’m just saying to be in a group of women of our age is very exciting – to have slightly pioneered it.

‘I’m competitive in sport but I’m loyal to people around me. Yes, I want to succeed, but I’d never run anyone over for it. Gabby and I are too close for that. We always help each other and embrace what we’re doing. And Georgie Thompson and I are doing Sky Sports together now. It’s about teamwork rather than an “I’m out to get you” attitude.’

Kirsty with husband Paul and son Jude last year

Kirsty has always inhabited the world of celebrity and even calls Sir Bruce Forsyth ‘Uncle Bruce’. He was a neighbour on the Wentworth golf estate where she grew up. She’s friends with his daughter Louisa, and Bruce and her father, former Ryder Cup captain Bernard Gallacher, are good friends. It seems odd therefore that she feels uncomfortable being in the spotlight.

‘I didn’t want to be a presenter. I wanted to work in fashion.’ She graduated from the London College of Fashion and took a job with upmarket designer Joseph Ettedgui. She was offered a job at Sky after meeting the head of Sky Sports at a dinner with her father.

‘I thought, “I love my sport so it’s tempting.” But I didn’t want to be a presenter, so I started as an editorial assistant and worked my way up to assistant producer. It wasn’t like nowadays, with all the celebrity magazines and people who just want to be in the limelight.’

Nonetheless, she got sucked in and agreed to do photoshoots for lads’ magazines Loaded and the classier but no less raunchy Arena. ‘I was badly advised with Loaded. But at least I didn’t do underwear. Loaded was sportswear and Arena was swimwear. I enjoyed the Arena shoot because I worked with a great photographer and shared a cover with Daniel Craig. But I wouldn’t do it
again. It’s not me. It’s out of my comfort zone.’

That’s all in the past, although she would take her clothes off for one person: Mario Testino for the cover of Vogue. ‘Come on, wouldn’t anyone? It would be an honour working with a photographer who is so highly thought of.’ Kirsty has been with her husband, retired rugby star Paul Sampson, for ten years though they only married in July last year. They have two sons, Oscar, five, and Jude, one.

‘Paul sadly lost his dad six years ago, which was a massive shock, and with all that was going on in his career – he had some horrible injuries – there were more important things to do than marry. But then he asked me when I was pregnant with Jude and that was that.’ They wed in Spain, near Seville.

‘It was the best day. It was worth the nine-year wait.’ They’re a very close-knit family. ‘My job is very important, but it’s secondary to my children. I’m constantly worrying about them. If I were to work with animals or children I’d become an emotional wreck, quite frankly. Mike Wedderburn, who I work with on Sky Sports News, has to vet the newspapers in case there’s a horrible story about animals because my eyes go…’ she indicates teariness, ‘and I’m just beside myself.’ Kirsty, it seems, is still very much a woman and mother in a hitherto very male world.

Kirsty Gallacher presents Good Morning Sports Fans on Sky Sports News.

Robin Gibb reveals: 'Doctors told me I had an hour to live'

By David Wigg

Last updated at 7:54 AM on 25th November 2011

Determined to get well: Robin is being cared for at home by wife Dwina

With a wide, impish, welcoming smile, Robin Gibb was standing waiting for me at the front porch of his magnificent 12th-century Oxfordshire home .

He appeared thinner than I had seen him look for a long time, but he explained that he’s never weighed more than 9??st, so there was no reason to think that anything was wrong.

It was only later that day, when he confided that he’d been to see a specialist about his recurring stomach cramps, that alarm bells rang.

After an examination and a scan he had been told he’d got one hour to live unless he had immediate surgery.

‘I told the surgeon, “Hang on, I’ve only got cramp,” recalled Robin. ‘But he said I’d actually got an intestinal blockage and it could be about to burst. The way he put it to me was blunt: “The only way out for you, pal, is through the operating theatre.”

‘I was petrified. I’d never been in hospital before. I had the op there and then and after three days felt a lot better.’

Our conversation took place in the summer, almost nine months after the operation. I didn’t know then that three months before we met Robin had been diagnosed with liver cancer.

He and his wife Dwina had decided not to say anything publicly to allow him to quietly undergo treatment. Only in October, after viewers were shocked by his gaunt appearance on Alan Titchmarsh’s ITV chat show, did the true extent of Robin’s illness emerge.

Then, earlier this month, he was rushed to hospital after a 999 call from his home. His 91-year-old mother Barbara and older brother Barry flew in from their Miami homes to be with him.

Never far from their minds will be the sad loss of Robin’s twin brother Maurice, who died eight years ago from complications following the same medical emergency to unblock a twisted intestine.

Robin told me he has never got over that — ‘We were like one person, with one soul,’ he said — or the grief of losing his youngest brother Andy from a heart infection in 1988, at the age of 30.

This week Robin, 61, publicly thanked fans for their get-well messages. And he is determined to be well enough to hear his latest musical project performed next year.

Working with his 28-year-old son R.J. (Robin-John), he has composed an impressive classical work entitled The Titanic Requiem, to commemorate the 100th anniversary next year of the sinking of the liner, and he plans to have it played at the Royal Albert Hall in London in April.

They have been working on this hour-long piece for a year and it has been recorded by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

In the imposing surroundings of his home, a former monastery once visited by Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, he told me how he had fulfilled a long-held ambition. ‘I’ve always wanted to write a classical piece and I put it to my son that we should do it together because he’s got a great talent for music,’ explained Robin.

‘We were like one person, with one soul': Robin, pictured with older brother Barry (right) said he has never got over over the death of his twin Maurice (left)   

‘Anyway, a lot of our music with the Bee Gees is classically orientated. If you just take the voices away, you can hear that it is classical pieces, traditionally. I love stuff like Mozart. I don’t like rock opera with back beats.’

Robin was halfway through this project when his life-threatening blockage was diagnosed.

‘All this time I’d thought it was wind cramps,’ he said. ‘But the surgeon said that was typical of the way it manifests. The blockage was so bad that he was surprised it hadn’t burst the day before, but it was too dangerous to delay any longer.

‘The relief was enormous, and afterwards I needed no painkillers. Not even an aspirin. I have a vegetarian diet, and a great appetite. Everything seemed to go back to normal.’

Once on the mend he was determined to finish his Titanic composition. Writing and recording all night, the way he prefers to work, he would go to bed just as the sun was rising and sleep until around 1pm.

Shock: Robin's gaunt appearance on the Alan Titchmarsh show on the Southbank sparked widespread concern

He also re-recorded one of the Bee Gees’ most iconic hits, I’ve Gotta Get A Message To You, with the harmony group The Soldiers, released last month as the official Poppy Appeal single.

But it is the Titanic Requiem that now takes up all his attention. He is fascinated by the story. ‘It’s not a morbid piece,’ he said. ‘It is a celebration of the time this great ship made its maiden voyage, and it will have that feeling in the music.’

Unsurprisingly, after such a close brush with death, Robin was in reflective mood with me. Although the Bee Gees broke up after Maurice died, they remain a powerful entity in music, so Robin inevitably made comparisons with today’s stars.

‘It’s hard to tell how the fame really affected us because it all happened so fast. We always had a belief in ourselves but not for fame or riches. One of the things about young people starting out today is they just want to be famous and make money.

'When we began, we just wanted people to like our songs. We simply enjoyed the passion of making music. We never thought about the material things it could bring us. You went into the studio and it was like a big toy shop.’

The Bee Gees had more than 50 international hit singles and sold 110 million albums. They have the biggest song catalogue in the world, along with Lennon and McCartney. ‘I can turn on the radio every day and hear five Gibb brothers’ songs,’ said Robin.

‘That still gives me a thrill. And yet you hear new artists and they are not composing. They’re not creating catalogues — so what will happen in the future?’

While still schoolboys living in Manchester, Barry, Maurice and Robin perfected the art of close harmony singing and won prizes at cinema screenings for their vocal performances.

‘There was a time at the beginning when the three of us slept in one bed! We were a very poor family. My dad had about five jobs so we could survive.

‘It was post-war England in the late Fifties and we didn’t even have carpets on the floor.’

To find a better life, their father Hugh moved the family to Australia, where he worked as a photographer. ‘We lived in a run-down house. My mother got very sick from mosquito bites,’ Robin recalled. ‘They were hard times and often we just lived on chips.’

Australia didn’t live up to expectations and so the family returned to England. ‘We had nothing, except this blind faith in ourselves to pursue a musical career. It was almost as if we talked ourselves into it.’

Sounds of the Seventies: The Bee Gees (from left to right) Robin, Maurice and Barry Gibb in 1979

So where did they find the inspiration to write songs that were so mature when they were so young?

‘Love and relationships’, said Robin. ‘Where other guys, like Ray Davies of the Kinks, were writing about social problems, we were writing about emotions.

‘They were something boys didn’t write about then because it was seen as a bit soft. But people love songs that melt your heart.’

Robin says the most difficult part of his career was handling the 1988 death of his brother, Andy, who had experienced a failed marriage and was recovering from the after effects of cocaine addiction.

‘I was stunned. It was his 30th birthday. It was the first time I’d lost anybody. He was staying in this house. He’d gone into hospital for a check-up and two days later someone said, “He’s gone.” I said, “What, he’s left the hospital?” and they said, “No, he died.”

‘I still don’t know why he died. They said it was a heart infection.

‘Then in 2003 Maurice took ill. In two days he had gone. We were absolutely devastated. As brothers we were like one person. Me and Barry have always been the principal writers of the Bee Gees’ sound and Maurice was the glue that kept the personalities intact. We were kind of triplets really.

‘I feel blessed I was born into a family that had Barry and Maurice in it. On a creative level it’s like winning the lottery — you can’t choose that.’

I’ve Gotta Get A Message To You by The Soldiers with Robin Gibb is on sale now.

Robin Gibb reveals: 'Doctors told me I had an hour to live'

By David Wigg

Last updated at 7:54 AM on 25th November 2011

Determined to get well: Robin is being cared for at home by wife Dwina

With a wide, impish, welcoming smile, Robin Gibb was standing waiting for me at the front porch of his magnificent 12th-century Oxfordshire home .

He appeared thinner than I had seen him look for a long time, but he explained that he’s never weighed more than 9??st, so there was no reason to think that anything was wrong.

It was only later that day, when he confided that he’d been to see a specialist about his recurring stomach cramps, that alarm bells rang.

After an examination and a scan he had been told he’d got one hour to live unless he had immediate surgery.

‘I told the surgeon, “Hang on, I’ve only got cramp,” recalled Robin. ‘But he said I’d actually got an intestinal blockage and it could be about to burst. The way he put it to me was blunt: “The only way out for you, pal, is through the operating theatre.”

‘I was petrified. I’d never been in hospital before. I had the op there and then and after three days felt a lot better.’

Our conversation took place in the summer, almost nine months after the operation. I didn’t know then that three months before we met Robin had been diagnosed with liver cancer.

He and his wife Dwina had decided not to say anything publicly to allow him to quietly undergo treatment. Only in October, after viewers were shocked by his gaunt appearance on Alan Titchmarsh’s ITV chat show, did the true extent of Robin’s illness emerge.

Then, earlier this month, he was rushed to hospital after a 999 call from his home. His 91-year-old mother Barbara and older brother Barry flew in from their Miami homes to be with him.

Never far from their minds will be the sad loss of Robin’s twin brother Maurice, who died eight years ago from complications following the same medical emergency to unblock a twisted intestine.

Robin told me he has never got over that — ‘We were like one person, with one soul,’ he said — or the grief of losing his youngest brother Andy from a heart infection in 1988, at the age of 30.

This week Robin, 61, publicly thanked fans for their get-well messages. And he is determined to be well enough to hear his latest musical project performed next year.

Working with his 28-year-old son R.J. (Robin-John), he has composed an impressive classical work entitled The Titanic Requiem, to commemorate the 100th anniversary next year of the sinking of the liner, and he plans to have it played at the Royal Albert Hall in London in April.

They have been working on this hour-long piece for a year and it has been recorded by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

In the imposing surroundings of his home, a former monastery once visited by Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, he told me how he had fulfilled a long-held ambition. ‘I’ve always wanted to write a classical piece and I put it to my son that we should do it together because he’s got a great talent for music,’ explained Robin.

‘We were like one person, with one soul': Robin, pictured with older brother Barry (right) said he has never got over over the death of his twin Maurice (left)   

‘Anyway, a lot of our music with the Bee Gees is classically orientated. If you just take the voices away, you can hear that it is classical pieces, traditionally. I love stuff like Mozart. I don’t like rock opera with back beats.’

Robin was halfway through this project when his life-threatening blockage was diagnosed.

‘All this time I’d thought it was wind cramps,’ he said. ‘But the surgeon said that was typical of the way it manifests. The blockage was so bad that he was surprised it hadn’t burst the day before, but it was too dangerous to delay any longer.

‘The relief was enormous, and afterwards I needed no painkillers. Not even an aspirin. I have a vegetarian diet, and a great appetite. Everything seemed to go back to normal.’

Once on the mend he was determined to finish his Titanic composition. Writing and recording all night, the way he prefers to work, he would go to bed just as the sun was rising and sleep until around 1pm.

Shock: Robin's gaunt appearance on the Alan Titchmarsh show on the Southbank sparked widespread concern

He also re-recorded one of the Bee Gees’ most iconic hits, I’ve Gotta Get A Message To You, with the harmony group The Soldiers, released last month as the official Poppy Appeal single.

But it is the Titanic Requiem that now takes up all his attention. He is fascinated by the story. ‘It’s not a morbid piece,’ he said. ‘It is a celebration of the time this great ship made its maiden voyage, and it will have that feeling in the music.’

Unsurprisingly, after such a close brush with death, Robin was in reflective mood with me. Although the Bee Gees broke up after Maurice died, they remain a powerful entity in music, so Robin inevitably made comparisons with today’s stars.

‘It’s hard to tell how the fame really affected us because it all happened so fast. We always had a belief in ourselves but not for fame or riches. One of the things about young people starting out today is they just want to be famous and make money.

'When we began, we just wanted people to like our songs. We simply enjoyed the passion of making music. We never thought about the material things it could bring us. You went into the studio and it was like a big toy shop.’

The Bee Gees had more than 50 international hit singles and sold 110 million albums. They have the biggest song catalogue in the world, along with Lennon and McCartney. ‘I can turn on the radio every day and hear five Gibb brothers’ songs,’ said Robin.

‘That still gives me a thrill. And yet you hear new artists and they are not composing. They’re not creating catalogues — so what will happen in the future?’

While still schoolboys living in Manchester, Barry, Maurice and Robin perfected the art of close harmony singing and won prizes at cinema screenings for their vocal performances.

‘There was a time at the beginning when the three of us slept in one bed! We were a very poor family. My dad had about five jobs so we could survive.

‘It was post-war England in the late Fifties and we didn’t even have carpets on the floor.’

To find a better life, their father Hugh moved the family to Australia, where he worked as a photographer. ‘We lived in a run-down house. My mother got very sick from mosquito bites,’ Robin recalled. ‘They were hard times and often we just lived on chips.’

Australia didn’t live up to expectations and so the family returned to England. ‘We had nothing, except this blind faith in ourselves to pursue a musical career. It was almost as if we talked ourselves into it.’

Sounds of the Seventies: The Bee Gees (from left to right) Robin, Maurice and Barry Gibb in 1979

So where did they find the inspiration to write songs that were so mature when they were so young?

‘Love and relationships’, said Robin. ‘Where other guys, like Ray Davies of the Kinks, were writing about social problems, we were writing about emotions.

‘They were something boys didn’t write about then because it was seen as a bit soft. But people love songs that melt your heart.’

Robin says the most difficult part of his career was handling the 1988 death of his brother, Andy, who had experienced a failed marriage and was recovering from the after effects of cocaine addiction.

‘I was stunned. It was his 30th birthday. It was the first time I’d lost anybody. He was staying in this house. He’d gone into hospital for a check-up and two days later someone said, “He’s gone.” I said, “What, he’s left the hospital?” and they said, “No, he died.”

‘I still don’t know why he died. They said it was a heart infection.

‘Then in 2003 Maurice took ill. In two days he had gone. We were absolutely devastated. As brothers we were like one person. Me and Barry have always been the principal writers of the Bee Gees’ sound and Maurice was the glue that kept the personalities intact. We were kind of triplets really.

‘I feel blessed I was born into a family that had Barry and Maurice in it. On a creative level it’s like winning the lottery — you can’t choose that.’

I’ve Gotta Get A Message To You by The Soldiers with Robin Gibb is on sale now.