Blue Tulip Rose Read was the infamous stalker of British TV and radio personality Mike Read. She was featured in a film made by Jaine Green for Channel Four in 1996 entitled "I'm Your Number One Fan." The film was run as part of Channel Four's "Fame Factor" season, which examined the dark side of fame.[1]
Rose was one of the most candid interviewees in the film. She was filmed as she travelled to the offices of Classic FM, and as she wrote "love letters" to Read.[2] The film states that Rose had been writing obscene and threatening letters to Read for many years. Rose was from Welwyn Garden City and her original name was Carol Ballard.[3] At some point, she became convinced that she was married to Read, spurring the change in surname. In 2008 she appeared in the early rounds of Britain's Got Talent as Blue Tulip Rose Eidelweiss Warby. Her act, which featured her barking in tune to "The Phantom of the Opera" was not well received by the judges and she got 3 rejections.[4]
The UK TV series The League of Gentlemen made frequent reference to Rose in their first series by putting a quote from the documentary in the background of many episodes.[5]