The Bookseller.com

1st December 2008

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Penguin's TV take away

08.04.08 Benedicte Page

Penguin has confirmed that it has signed superstar TV presenting duo Ant and Dec, and is understood to have paid £2.2m for a joint memoir. The book will be published in autumn 2009—though the presenters will be in Australia recording a reality show at the time.

Ant and Dec will be working with their long-term scriptwriter Andy Milligan to produce the memoir, described as "a collection of observations and reminiscences" which will offer special insights into their friendship, first formed when the two appeared together in school soap "Byker Grove".

Michael Joseph non-fiction publisher Katy Follain acquired the book through James Grant Management, after strong competition from one other publisher. The deal was won with a pitch involving a funny script spliced with clips from Ant and Dec's shows, and the delivery of Queen-themed T-shirts to the two as they prepared to imitate Freddie Mercury in an Ant versus Dec challenge on the TV show Ant and Dec's "Saturday Night Takeaway". "We went the extra mile," said Follain, who added that the book will be "our biggest of next year—we'll go crazy."

Ant and Dec will be recording "I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!" in the Australian jungle when the book is released. Follain said they would do "as much publicity as they can", using videos and online activities, and that they would be meeting customers in the build-up to publication.

Follain has also acquired the first book from Irish comic Dara O'Briain. Tickling the English was described as "an uproariously witty travelogue" based on O'Briain's experiences as "an anglicised Irishman with baggage" living and touring in England, and was bought for a six-figure sum.

O'Briain commented: "Sadly, I have no battle with heroin or nightmarish locked-in-an-attic childhood memories with which to pad my book out, so Penguin will just have to nag me into writing some jokes."

Benedicte Page Penguin Rights deal Ant & Dec