Ant & Dec sign £2.8M deal for joint autobiography

Ant and Dec are set to storm the bestseller list after clinching a whopping £2.8million deal to tell their life story.

The hit TV duo are sticking to the formula which has served them well for the last 21 years and will pen their memoirs as a double-act.

Ant & Dec (Pic:ITV)

Due for release in time for Christmas next year, the book is certain to become one of the biggest-selling celebrity biographies ever.

Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, both 32, signed the massive deal with Penguin Books a fortnight ago. Ant told the Sunday Mirror last night: "We've considered working on a book for quite a while. But next year we will have been working together for 21 years, so we feel the time is right."

Dec added: "We're really looking forward to reminiscing about our past and moments from behind the scenes, however embarrassing they may be."

A publishing executive said: "Even by the standards of celebrity deals, this is a big one.

"The celebrity autobiography market has exploded over the last couple of years."

Comedian Peter Kay landed an advance of £1.2m for The Sound Of Laughter, which has topped 900,000 in sales. Katie Price was only given £10,000 but earns royalties on the more than 1million copies sold of her book Being Jordan. And Russell Brand's My Booky Wook, for which he received a £500,000 advance, has sold 350,000 copies.

The exec added: "But Ant and Dec are the undisputed heavyweights of TV and have millions of fans who want to read about them."

A spokesman said: "The book will give fans an insight into the genuine intimacy and refreshing sense of humour the two boys share."

Katy Follain, who secured the deal for Penguin, said: "Publishers have been pursuing the duo for years. We are hugely excited. There's a wealth of behind-the-scenes anecdotes waiting to be told."

Ant and Dec already have personal fortunes of more than £15m each.

The Geordies signed a recordbreaking £20m contract with ITV last year, making them the best-paid personalities on British TV. But they have never done any commercial endorsements, and have rarely stepped off the small screen.

A BRIEF HISTORY

1989/90: Join Byker Grove as PJ and Duncan.

1994: Launch pop career - 14 Top 20 hits in 4 years.

1995: Comedy sketch Ant & Dec Show on BBC.

1997: Host Ant & Dec Unzipped on C4.

2000: ITV sign them for SM:TV and CD:UK.

2001: Host Pop Idol.

2002: Saturday Night Takeaway and first of seven I'm A Celebrity...

2006: First movie Alien Autopsy. Host Pokerface.

2007: Pilot for US sitcom Wanna Bet? Starts in July.

2008: Britain's Got Talent.

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