When most people imagine life at 89, they picture relaxing and comfortable days enjoying life’s simple pleasures.

But not Barrie Stacey. In fact, this soonto-be 90-year-old is only just ramping things up – by writing what is being touted as the market’s hottest new erotic novel.

“To be truthful, I read Fifty Shades Of Grey and thought I could do better than that,” he explains Barrie, who grew up in Bournemouth.

“So that inspired me to write A Ticket To Passion – my first venture into erotic fiction.”

The novel, which follows the lives of two siblings leading very different lives, is not the first Barrie has penned.

The oldest working theatre agent in the UK, who now lives in London, has previously written his autobiography, A Ticket to the Carnival, as well as a a further memoir, Life Upon The Very Wicked Stage, in 2006, and two additional books, An Appointment With Fame in 2014 and Love in the Afternoon in 2015.

“I’ve been a theatrical agent and writer for most of my adult life,” he says, “doing everything from touring with my own oneman show to writing full-length children’s musicals.

“It’s prepped me well, although admittedly I’ve never before tackled anything quite this exciting. As Mae West told us years ago, sex is a four-letter word!”

Barrie was born in Bournemouth in 1926 before moving to Christchurch. He went to school in Clarendon Road, leaving at the age of 12.

He regularly went to film screenings at The Astoria in Boscombe and was also a regular at The Regent Centre in Christchurch – he later presented his own children’s theatre productions The Adventures of Pinocchio and Tales From The Jungle Book at the venue.

After three years’ National Service, Barrie moved to London to start his theatrical career.

His first play, Teddy Boy, toured in the 1950s and Barrie opened his own coffee house, The As You Like It, at The Seven Dials in Soho in 1960, which became famous, or rather infamous, for the characters it attracted, including the likes of Quentin Crisp, Simon and Garfunkel, Paul Simon, Lindsey Kemp and Wayne Sleep.

From 1972 he became well known as a theatrical agent, presenting many plays and children’s musicals on tour as well as star concerts such as The Jessie Matthews Show at the Shaftesbury Theatre in the West End, Jim Bailey at the London Palladium, The Frankie Howerd Show and The Bob Monkhouse Show.

Still working as an agent and author, Barrie returns to Christchurch often to visit his brother.

But his focus now is on promoting his latest project.

“The really unique thing about this novel is that it doesn’t bang away (excuse my pun) at the usual repetitive and somewhat vanilla sex scenes that are becoming more prevalent in erotic fiction,” he explains.

“Everything is fresh and wholly unique, morphing into a thriller novel as the story progresses. There’s really nothing else like this out there.

“I personally consider it to be the genre’s biggest innovation since Fifty Shades. Not had for a guy who will soon hit 90!”