New book imagines Kenneth Williams's 90s life
- A fictional five more years of Kenneth Williams diaries are being published
- Beyond Our Kenneth imagines the star's life after the date of his premature death
- It paints a picture of how his life and work may have panned out in early 1990s' London
A new book imagines the continued diaries of Kenneth Williams had he lived into the 1990s.
The comic actor, wit and noted diarist died on 15th April 1988 of what is believed to have been an accidental overdose of barbiturates.
Author and former actor Bill Holland has now penned Beyond Our Kenneth: The Continued Diaries Of Kenneth Williams, imagining how the next five years might have gone had the star not died but at that point.
He says: "Beyond Our Kenneth is a fictional continuation of the infamous diary of the legendary Carry On actor Kenneth Williams, which extends the life and career of this king of camp into an alternate London of the early 90s. The book came about thanks to a persistent sense of unfinished business in response to reading and re-reading the original journals, and a desire to bring a comic hero back to life.
"The forty-three volumes left behind by Williams - which were edited and published after his death - are an outrageous, hilarious and revealing record of an absorbing life, but they come to a sudden, unhappy conclusion in 1988. As a fan of both the man and his writings, I felt that there were unresolved stories and loose ends at the end of the drama, the exploration of which would not only make for an intriguing speculative history, but would also prove a stimulating task."
Speaking exclusively to British Comedy Guide, he explains: "Writing this book has been a labour of love - what with the challenge of trying to convincingly imitate Williams's style - but it's also provided the opportunity to meet with many of Kenneth's remaining friends and colleagues who are committed to keeping the genius of this unique character firmly in the public conscience. By taking Kenneth Williams in different directions and probing these 'what if' scenarios, I hope to have illustrated my fascination for the great man and my respect for his legacy."
Published by Fantom, the 372-page book is currently available exclusively via their website, below.
Bill Holland - Beyond Our Kenneth: The Continued Diaries Of Kenneth Williams
It is 1988 and Kenneth Williams - comic actor, author and raconteur - is at the end of his tether.
Persistent illness, a flagging career, and disintegrating relationships; all have combined to bring about a deep melancholy and a lonely despair. Shadows are encroaching and the curtain is beginning to fall.
In reality, it was indeed the end of the road for this icon of British entertainment.
But what if things had worked out differently? What if this legend of stage, radio and screen hadn't succumbed to the misery and suffering, and actually managed to find a way back? What if the great Kenneth Williams had lived on?...
Beyond Our Kenneth is an imagined continuation of the acclaimed star's notorious diary - a fictional, five-year extension, where we find the king of campery enduring in an alternate London of the early nineties.
Follow the master of the acidic put-down, the prince of pithy retorts, as he navigates unfamiliar waters with a cast of cohorts, both familiar and new. Listen in to more private musings from one of the country's favourite personalities... there'll be candour, cattiness - and plenty of carrying on!
First published: Monday 17th February 2025
- Publisher: Fantom Films Limited
- Pages: 372
- Catalogue: 9781781963968
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