The Borough Press' Suzie Dooré makes a play for Sophie Duker’s Dong

The Borough Press editor-at-large Suzie Dooré has snapped up the first novel from comedian, actress and Taskmaster champion Sophie Duker.

The novel will explore “the dark realities” of entertainment and TV. Dooré pre-empted world English-language rights to Dong in a deal brokered with Duker’s talent management company Avalon. Dong is scheduled for publication in spring 2027.

Dong is centred around TV researcher Ellie who, at 24, meets and is befriended by an older, white male comedian. Rick becomes a mentor figure to her but “years later, when a scandal breaks, Ellie must ask herself how complicit she was in what happened…”

Duker said she was “literally high off the news of this deal. It feels both ludicrous and lovely that the awkward Black girl who hid in the toilets with her books at break time is finally delivering her debut novel. Despite having worked for and alongside some genuine legends, I know first-hand how delicious and dangerous working in the entertainment industry can be, what comedy’s worst dudes are drawn to, and the kind of dynamics that develop behind closed doors".

Dooré added: “I am in a very happy position as Sophie’s editor in that I’d want to publish whatever she wrote, and it turns out she’s a brilliant writer who I’d have snapped up even if she weren’t famous. Dong is hilarious, obviously, but it’s also a very important and timely book about complicity, accountability, misogyny and where to hide when you need a Big Ugly Cry at work.”

Duker’s 2019 debut Edinburgh Fringe stand-up show, Venus, saw her nominated for the Best Newcomer. She is also the first comedian to have hosted The Booker Prize when she was master of ceremonies at the 2022 award ceremony.

She won the 13th series of Taskmaster and has been a regular on programmes such as Frankie Boyle’s New World Order and Live at The Apollo. Prior to Duker’s career as an actress and comedian, she worked in television production, both in-house at the BBC and at production companies like Hat Trick, Endemol, Rumpus and Twofour Productions.

Duker added: “Showbiz can be horrifying and hilarious, often in the exact same moment, and especially for vulnerable and marginalised young people. Dong might be my way of rendering dark realities in the Wild West of entertainment and TV production (without getting sued), but I’m sure its core characters and conflicts will resonate with everyone.”