Omid Djalili signs autobiography deal

The Omid Djalili Show. Omid Djalili. Copyright: BBC

Publishing house Headline has announced that it has signed a deal with comedian Omid Djalili to publish his autobiography.

The first volume of his autobiography will be published later this year, coinciding with an autumn national stand-up tour.

Headline describe the currently untitled book as charting Omid's "unconventional childhood growing up in London helping to run the family business for visiting Iranians who came to the UK for health reasons".

They continue: "Here he narrowly escaped a career in medical translation as by the age of 10 he was fluent in translating words like 'angiogram' and 'pleural effusions' into Farsi.

"From there he takes us through his 13 A-level attempts and his arrival at the university of Ulster where, in contrast to his home life, he found true connection and relaxing solitude against the backdrop of Northern Ireland at the height of the troubles. It was here he decided that a life in show business was the only secure option he had left."

Headline deputy publishing director Sarah Emsley says: "Omid's writing is warm, intelligent, accomplished and laugh-out-loud funny and we believe his book will be read and enjoyed by comedy fans and readers of more serious memoir alike."

Omid Djalili said: "As someone said somewhere in one of Oscar Wilde's plays (you see a degree in Drama paid off, university was NOT wasted): "I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read on the train."

"As such I've been asked to write an autobiography. It's the most exciting book I've ever read. I heartily recommend it."

Alongside a successful stand-up career, Omid has enjoyed his own TV series on BBC One, The Omid Djalili Show, a number of hit stand-up DVD releases, and acting roles in British films such as The Infidel and Hollywood blockbusters including The Mummy and Gladiator.

Both the hardback book and an audiobook version of the autobiography are now available to preorder.

See our shop for stand-up and TV DVDs with Omid Djalili

Published: Wednesday 26th March 2014

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