Billy Connolly's biography will be the bestselling hardback of 2001.

The frank book Billy, written by his wife Pamela Stephenson, has sold 284,058 copies since it was published in October.

At a recommended price of £17.99, it makes the book a £5million money-spinner

It has outsold Robbie Williams's autobigraphy, the year's second most popular hardback, by 65,211 copies. Victoria Beckham's Learning To Fly was third in the Sunday Times list.

And Ali G's Christmas book, Da Gospel According to Ali G, came in fifth in the chart, with sales of 153,777.