What Have I Done?: My Autobiography
Oct 2025 · Pan Macmillan
Ebook
480
Pages
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Eligible
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infoThis book will become available on October 9, 2025. You will not be charged until it is released.
About this ebook
What has Ben Elton done?
He’s written the most eagerly anticipated show business autobiography of the year. That’s what.
And prior to that? Well he’s pretty much done everything and worked with everybody and now he’s telling the whole story in one unputdownable volume. Sixty-five years in the making, this frank, forthright and hugely entertaining autobiography takes a deep dive into Ben’s life and times, both private and public. He reveals the true stories behind iconic hits such as The Young Ones, Blackadder and We Will Rock You, his pioneering routines hosting Saturday Live, which birthed a revolution in stand-up comedy, and so much more. Ben recounts his life and uniquely varied career from his Catford childhood and being the BBC’s youngest ever sitcom writer at twenty-one right up to the present day, with yet another hit sitcom, Upstart Crow; a surprise late-life BAFTA; and his most critically acclaimed stand-up comedy show to date.
Alongside unique insights into his ground-breaking work, Ben talks honestly and compellingly about his personal and professional relationships with two generations of brilliant friends, inspiring contemporaries, occasional foes, and the times in which they all lived. And Ben’s life has been just as challenging, rewarding and funny off screen as it has been on. He unpacks it all with wit, insight and complete honesty. And of course, there’s a ‘little bit of politics’.
For forty-five years Ben’s been making a lot of people laugh, a lot of people think and getting on quite a lot of people's wicks. All of which means he has a lot of stories and he tells them unvarnished and uncensored – he’s sharing his truth as they say these days, and he’s up to his neck in it!
He’s written the most eagerly anticipated show business autobiography of the year. That’s what.
And prior to that? Well he’s pretty much done everything and worked with everybody and now he’s telling the whole story in one unputdownable volume. Sixty-five years in the making, this frank, forthright and hugely entertaining autobiography takes a deep dive into Ben’s life and times, both private and public. He reveals the true stories behind iconic hits such as The Young Ones, Blackadder and We Will Rock You, his pioneering routines hosting Saturday Live, which birthed a revolution in stand-up comedy, and so much more. Ben recounts his life and uniquely varied career from his Catford childhood and being the BBC’s youngest ever sitcom writer at twenty-one right up to the present day, with yet another hit sitcom, Upstart Crow; a surprise late-life BAFTA; and his most critically acclaimed stand-up comedy show to date.
Alongside unique insights into his ground-breaking work, Ben talks honestly and compellingly about his personal and professional relationships with two generations of brilliant friends, inspiring contemporaries, occasional foes, and the times in which they all lived. And Ben’s life has been just as challenging, rewarding and funny off screen as it has been on. He unpacks it all with wit, insight and complete honesty. And of course, there’s a ‘little bit of politics’.
For forty-five years Ben’s been making a lot of people laugh, a lot of people think and getting on quite a lot of people's wicks. All of which means he has a lot of stories and he tells them unvarnished and uncensored – he’s sharing his truth as they say these days, and he’s up to his neck in it!
About the author
Ben Elton is a multi-award-winning novelist, playwright, television writer, screenwriter and lyricist. He is also a theatre, screen and TV director, a stand-up comedian and a very occasional actor. Born in Catford, south-east London, in 1959, Ben was state-educated and studied drama at Manchester University, where he now holds an honorary doctorate. He began his professional career in 1981. Ben married Australian bass player Sophie in 1994, they have three grown-up children and divide their time between Britain and Australia.
In 2007 Ben Elton was awarded the Special Golden Rose d’Or at The International Television Festival in Lucerne, Switzerland, for his lifetime contribution to the television arts.
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