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Ben Elton pens his autobiography, 'What Have I Done?'

ExclusiveTuesday 18th March 2025, 10:39am by Jay Richardson

Ben Elton

Ben Elton has written his autobiography, British Comedy Guide can exclusively reveal.

What Have I Done? pledges to reveal the true stories behind his iconic sitcoms such as Blackadder, The Young Ones and Upstart Crow, while taking a "deep dive" into his private and public life.

Published on 9th October by Macmillan, the book will trace the comedy writer's career from his childhood in Catford, through his television breakthrough hosting Saturday Night Live, collaborating with Queen on the stage musical We Will Rock You, right up to his acclaimed current stand-up tour, Authentic Stupidity.

Promising "unique insights into his ground-breaking work", Elton "talks honestly and hilariously about his personal and professional relationships with two generations of brilliant friends, inspiring contemporaries, occasional foes, and the times in which they all lived."

Saturday Live. Ben Elton. Credit: London Weekend Television

His 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'.

"After living sixty five years on the planet, forty-five of them in public, tickling many funny bones and getting on a respectable number of wicks", Elton has "a lot of stories to tell, and he tells them unvarnished and uncensored - because that's who he is".

The prolific comic has written 16 novels to date, with What Have I Done? his first memoir.

Elton recently completed the UK leg of Authentic Stupidity and is currently performing it around Australia, where he lives.

You can pre-order What Have I Done? below.

Ben Elton - What Have I Done?: My Autobiography

Ben Elton - What Have I Done?: My Autobiography
By Ben Elton

Many people think they know who Ben Elton is - but does he?

For the first - and only - time, Ben tackles this question head on in his frank, forthright and entertaining autobiography. Taking a deep dive into his life and times, both private and public, to reveal 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 21 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 hilariously 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'.

After living sixty five years on the planet, forty-five of them in public, tickling many funny bones and getting on a respectable number of wicks, Ben has a lot of stories to tell, and he tells them unvarnished and uncensored - because that's who he is.

First published: Thursday 9th October 2025

  • Publisher: Macmillan
  • Pages: 352
  • Catalogue: 9781035059942

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