'Raw' Greg Rutherford memoir to S&S

Simon & Schuster UK has acquired Olympic long jump champion Greg Rutherford’s “raw” autobiography Unexpected.

Rutherford is currently starring in the BBC’s "Strictly Come Dancing" television series and his memoir, written with Guardian journalist Sean Ingle, will be published in time for Christmas on 3rd November 2016.

Rutherford is one of the few British athletes to have won European, Commonwealth, World and Olympic gold medals. S&S has described his memoir as “raw and opinionated,” and “anything but a bland, cautious read”.

UK & Commonwealth rights were acquired by S&S editorial director Ian Marshall from Andrew Steele of DNAFit Sports Management and Paul Stevens of the Independent Talent Group.

Marshall said: “Greg is one of those rare sports stars who has not only consistently delivered success and medals when the pressure is at its most intense, but he also stands up for what he believes in – whether it’s clean sport, the way athletes are treated and rewarded, or speaking out against those who let down others. In short, he backs up his words with actions – the perfect combination for a brilliant book.”

Rutherford added: “I’m delighted to have the opportunity to work with Simon & Schuster to tell my story. I felt the time was right to explain the background to my life and give the readers a real insight into everything from the struggles I faced growing up, which will prove quite unexpected to some, to my life as an athlete, from the highs of winning gold on Super Saturday in the London Olympics to the lows of injury concerns, and dealing with the cheats that taint our sport.”