James McNicholas turns his Fringe hit The Boxer into a book

Comedian James McNicholas has turned his acclaimed 2019 Edinburgh Fringe show The Boxer into a book.

The title, The Champ & The Chump, will tell how he investigated the story of his grandfather, a boxing champion, and how it caused him to reflect on how his own life compared.

His grandfather, Terry Downes, was known as The Paddington Express and fought opponents such as Sugar Ray Robinson; while McNicholas's school PE teacher once told him he was so unfit he'd be dead by the time he was 23.

Publishers Headline describe the book, which is out on August 5, as ‘a heart-warming, hilarious true story about fighting and family’ and add: ‘After Terry's death [in 2017], James decides to retrace his grandad's footsteps to see just how it is that two people so close could be so different.

‘It is a journey that takes James from London to Baltimore, to army bootcamp and a brutal boxing regime. And when James is a diagnosed with a neurological disorder, the symptoms of which replicate those of concussion, the two stories suddenly collide.’

McNicholas, a member of the sketch group Beasts, said: ‘While this project has a very personal significance to me, ultimately it's a book about family, belonging, and the importance of getting back up when you've been knocked down.

‘ I'm as excited to tell the story of Terry's triumphs as I am embarrassed to reveal some of my own spectacular failures.’

Publisher Richard Roper added: ‘I was completely blown away by James's show at Edinburgh, and I am delighted that he has decided to explore this brilliantly funny and touching story further in his first book. To quote every single review of James's show: it's going to be a knock-out.’

Read Chortle’s review of The Boxer.

Published: 24 Mar 2021