Omid Djalili

Omid Djalili's fascinating story begins with an unconventional childhood spent at his family's London guesthouse for visiting Iranians.

At school he starts a passionate love affair with football but he hopes one day to live an more intellectually fulfilled life. But sadly his exam results don't quite hit the mark (it's difficult to study astrophysics at one of the world's top universities without O-Level maths) and so Omid spends the next three years sitting his A-Levels again, and again.

Eventually, in a moment of madness, he concludes that the best way to achieve the desired A- Level results is to forge his certificates. Travelling to the university of Ulster he finds relaxing solitude despite the backdrop of Northern Ireland at the height of the Troubles.

He he decides that a life in show business is the only option left, and what follows is a hilarious and captivating insight into the life of a young performer who embraces his cultural identity, works harder than anyone else, and doesn't give up until he has hung out with Brad Pitt in Morocco, injured himself whilst showing offing front of Kate Winslet, and shared an 'intimate' moment with Oliver Reed.

Full of the warmth and intelligence that makes Omid a leading comedian and actor, this memoir takes us on a joyously vivid journey through an unusually British life.