Coronet acquires account of quest around the world from ‘Friday Night Dinner’ star Rosenthal

Coronet has acquired Around the World in 80 Favours by “Friday Night Dinner” star and comedian Tom Rosenthal.

Harriet Poland, editorial director, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Millie Hoskins at United Agents. It will be published in hardback, e-book and audiobook in May 2024.

The publisher said: “Actor and comedian Tom Rosenthal has achieved peak capitalist disconnection – a solo-living, daily-Deliverooing, Uber-abusing, screen-addicted community-contact-avoiding cog in the machine. If he’s ever going to emerge into adulthood, he needs a shock to the system.

“Can you save him from himself? And, more importantly, what can you get in return? In a once in a lifetime opportunity, you can get a largely incompetent, but sometimes funny man-child to do anything you want – all you have to do is help him complete a challenge so immersed in agonising human contact, he might just change his ways. The challenge: get around the world by trading favours.

“The rules: Tom must circumvent the entire globe, in one direction, spending no money on travel. All travel can only be in exchange for a fair and equal favour. All favours must be agreed and performed before returning home. No flagrant criminality (unless the criminal has been particularly accommodating).”

The publisher continued: "The journey starts on Thursday 4th May 2023. Who knows how and when it will end. All we know for sure is that he’ll do almost anything to get there. Need a stand-in boyfriend at your ex’s wedding? Want someone to deliver a letter to Timbuktu? Have a hankering for a Tim Tam? Say no more. Just contact him on social media and help him on his way.”

Around the World in 80 Favours will be Rosenthal’s account of the trip, from the sublime to the ridiculous. “Structured around some of the weirdest requests, the most seismic detours and the favours that threw him, this will be the story of a journey that just might change Tom’s life. Part Bill Bryson, part Dave Gorman, with a bit of Francis Drake thrown in, Around the World in 80 Favours is going to be a wild and funny ride,” the publisher said. “So, can anyone give him a lift to Heathrow?”

Rosenthal began his career winning the Paramount Funniest Student Award (2009) and the Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year (2011). He has taken three stand-up shows to the Edinburgh Festival, the latest of which, “Manhood”, had a sell-out national tour. He is best known for “Plebs” (ITV2) and “Friday Night Dinner” (Channel 4). Between them they have won Broadcast Awards, Comedy Awards, the Rose D’Or and have been nominated for a BAFTA. Personally, Tom was nominated for Best Newcomer at the British Comedy Awards (2012) for his performance as Jonny in “Friday Night Dinner”.

Rosenthal said: “I never thought I’d get the opportunity to write a book, and I still don’t, because I’m fairly convinced I’ll die attempting to write this one. It’s very kind of Hodder & Stoughton to fund my pre-midlife-crisis-crisis and to publish a record of it in various formats so my children’s children’s children will be able to both read and hear about what a loser I was.”

Poland said: “All I want to do this year is laugh. If that comes at Tom Rosenthal’s expense, so be it. This book is going to be a pleasure, a riot, a spectacle, a circus, a feast and a serious test of character.”