''I''m lucky to have an inexhaustible appetite for life. I''ve had many amazing adventures in Hollywood and beyond, but some stories I have only ever shared with my friends. After all, you''ve got to have a bit of mystery, so I hide a knowing smile behind my shoulder pads. Until now! So, read on for the tales I tell my friends . . .''

In her new book, Dame Joan Collins returns in dazzling form to share the most memorable moments from her eclectic and vibrant life, in and out of the limelight. Taking us on an incredible journey from her early years as a young star in the golden era of Hollywood to stamping her stilettos in Dynasty; from the glittering heights of St Tropez to the busy Oscars season in LA over the years.

Joan writes movingly about her grief and adventures with her sister Jackie, delving deeper into the ups and downs of love and relationships, and her happiness with husband Percy. Filled with a cast of household names, including the late Queen Elizabeth, Diana, Princess of Wales, Elizabeth Taylor, Michael Caine, Warren Beatty, and many more, Behind the Shoulder Pads is a spectacularly entertaining tour de force bound to delight and shock in equal measures.

Hilarious, intimate and completely spellbinding, Joan invites you into her life like never before, sharing the stories she had previously reserved for her closest of friends.