An authorised biography of Rik Mayall is to be published… but not until March 2028 on what would have been his 70th birthday.

Rik: The Lives and Times of Rik Mayall is written by Max Kinnings  and based on more than 100 hours of conversations recorded with the comic himself.

Kinnings previously worked as an uncredited ghost-writer on Myall’s untrue 2005 autobiography, Bigger Than Hitler – Better Than Christ and his tapes were the basis of last year’s Radio 4 tribute documentary Rik Mayall, Panglobal Phenomenon.

For the book, he also spoke to Mayall’s close family, including his wife Barbara and children, and many long-term friends and collaborators, as well as writers, promoters, TV executives and other figures from across the entertainment world.

The author, right, said: ‘Rik Mayall was the godfather of modern comedy — a trailblazer, pioneer, and enduring inspiration to the generation of comedians who emerged in the early 1980s and went on to shape British comedy for decades to come. 

‘I am thrilled to be working with [publishers] Viking on what will be the definitive exploration of his life, on screen and off, his legacy and the influence his unique performances have had on the British psyche that will go to the heart of what made him so special.’

The rights to the book were acquired by Viking’s publishing director Daniel Crewe, who said: ‘This will be the closest we’ll get to an autobiography of comedy god Rik Mayall – thanks to Max’s unique time with Rik, and his intimate knowledge of the history of comedy. 

‘Through the vivid picture that Max will paint of Rik the comedian, the writer, the friend and partner, this book will show his fundamental impact on British comedy and popular culture. It’s going to be ruddy superb.’

The publishers say the title will cover ‘postwar British culture, from rundown 1970s Manchester where Rik first found his love for comedy and life-long colleagues, to the explosion of British alternative comedy talent in the 1980s, where Rik first found success, from The Young Ones and his brief and brilliant cameos as Flashheart in Blackadder, through to The New Statesman and Bottom, appearances on the West End stage and a brief flirtation with Hollywood. 

‘The book will also discuss the impact of the quad bike accident in 1998 that put him in a coma for five days, and his relationship with comedy partner, Adrian Edmondson.’

News of the book comes ahead of the Rik Mayall Comedy Festival in Droitwich in the West Midlands, where the comic grew up, which starts on Saturday.

Mayall was born on March 7, 1958, in Harlow in Essex and died on  June 9, 2014, at the age of 56 in Barnes, South West London, following a sudden heart attack after a morning jog.