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HarperCollins will publish an official tie-in to "Strictly Come Dancing" next week, just days after the 2010 winner of the BBC show is announced.
Carole Tonkinson, publisher for Harper Non-Fiction and Eric Winbolt, director of innovation, bought world rights excluding the United States to two books from Richard Halliwell, commercial director for Strictly BBC Worldwide, for an undisclosed sum.
The first book, called Strictly Shimmer, will be published in the UK and Ireland on 20th December, just two days after this weekend's grand final. The book will be written by 'Amanda Roberts', a fictional production runner on the show. The publisher said: " As she starts to discover the backstage drama, Amanda wonders if she is tough enough to survive but things start to change . . . and incredibly she finds more glitz, more magic and more romance than she could possibly ever have imagined." However, the book will not feature former Strictly contestants like Alesha Dixon, Mark Rampakash or Anne Widdecombe.
It will be published simultaneously in e-book format and serialised on entertainment website Digital Spy.
Tonkinson said: "We are thrilled to be publishing such an exciting novel perfectly pitched and timed to keep Strictly fans enthralled over the holiday season. It's an inventive partnership that partners a massively loved and successful entertainment brand with pacy storytelling and brilliant characters."
Halliwell said: “We’re constantly looking for innovative ways to extend the Strictly brand and we loved the idea of a fictional novel set behind the scenes. This is a fun and frothy read that will offer fans of the show something a little bit different to anything they’ve witnessed before.”