Sir David Jason to publish autobiography
Sir David Jason has signed a deal to publish his memoir after almost half a century in the entertainment world. Publisher Random House has high hopes the 72-year-old's autobiography will be a huge seller when it hits bookshelves in the run-up to the lucrative Christmas period in two years' time. The firm has acquired the global rights for his book, which Sir David said would allow him to 'share the journey' of his life with fans. Sir David said: "I'm delighted to have found a publisher who shares my ambition for my autobiography. Random House have shown true enthusiasm for this project from day one and I can't wait to work with Ben (Dunn, of Random House) and his team. "Over the past 50 years I have had the fortunate experience of working with some of the finest actors and writers in the world. "This book will be an opportunity for me to share the journey through my life and career with the people who have been most generous with their support and kindness - the great British public." Sir David - knighted in 2005 - has become one of the best-loved figures on TV for his high profile roles in series such as Only Fools And Horses and A Touch Of Frost, as well as his role as Pop Larkin in the TV adaptation of The Darling Buds Of May. He began his TV career in 1964 with a role as Bert Bradshaw in the soap Crossroads. Three years later he was starring alongside future members of the Monty Python team Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin in Do Not Adjust Your Set. But he began to achieve major stardom after appearing as Granville, opposite Ronnie Barker, in BBC sitcom Open All Hours. The hardback version of the book will come out in the autumn of 2014, with a paperback the following year.
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Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix.
An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.