'Inspiring' journey of roboticist faced with motor neurone disease to MJ

Michael Joseph has signed a memoir from Dr Peter Scott-Morgan, whose life story is the subject of a documentary "Peter: The Human Cyborg", which aired last night (26th August) on Channel 4.

UK and Commonwealth rights in Peter 2.0 were acquired by Daniel Bunyard, publishing director of non-fiction, from Rosemary Scoular at United Agents, to publish as a £16.99 hardback in April 2021.

Scott-Morgan was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2017, when he was told it would destroy his nerve cells and that, within an average of two years, take his life. However, using his background in science and technology as a world-renowned roboticist, he navigated a new path, opting to have multiple surgeries that have led him to become a self-described "cyborg" through the use of artificial intelligence—improving his quality of life and extending his life.

For two years, Channel 4 camera crews followed Scott-Morgan on his journey, the product of which, "Peter: The Human Cyborg", aired at 9 p.m. last night (26th August). Meanwhile Scott-Morgan has been writing his book since his diagnosis with motor neurone disease in 2017.

Scott-Morgan said: "Even as I was rebelling at 16, I knew my life story wouldn’t be conventional. But I never guessed that cheating death would become a full-time job. Or that I’d become a cyborg. Retracing my unique journey in this book has been an amazing experience and I’m hugely excited to share it with readers."

Bunyard said: "Peter's story is fascinating, and as an individual and author he is remarkable. What he's seeking to do may change the world and the nature of what it means to be human, forever. Yet at its heart, this is a universal story about resilience, hope and love. We're very proud to be working with him to bring his inspiring journey to the page."