HarperCollins signs Vice's Joel Golby

HarperCollins has signed Brilliant, Brilliant, Brilliant Brilliant Brilliant, the debut non-fiction book by Vice journalist Joel Golby.

Jack Fogg, publishing director for HarperNonFiction, bought UK Commonwealth rights (excluding Canada) in a two book deal from Jon Elek at United Agents.

Set to be a series of "whip-smart" personal and pop culture essays, Brilliant, Brilliant, Brilliant Brilliant Brilliant will be published in June 2018, with the second book to be announced later this year.

Golby is most famously known for work at Vice, where his "hilarious and edgy" articles have earned him a burgeoning cult following online, the publisher said. Golby has a regular column in VICE: London Rental Opportuntity of the Week which features entries such as “A Definitely Haunted Two-Bed in Dublin”, “A Shelf in a Warehouse in Stoke Newington” and “A F*cking Shed in Cheam! CHEAM!”

He has also written pieces for the site including “46 Things it Looks Like Piers Morgan is Saying in This Photo”, “A Deep Dive Into ‘The Chase’, The Greatest Show on British Television” and “How to Do Office Banter Without Accidentally Doing Hatespeech Instead”.

Fogg said: "Joel is one of the most consistently original, insightful, talented and funny writers working today. He can do it all. I’ve been following his stellar work on Vice for a couple of years and am absolutely thrilled that I’ll get the chance to work with him on his books."

Golby said: "Books make nice gifts. Please remember that in June next year when you try and get away with buying just one copy of mine."