John Sergeant gives back book advance

BBC

John Sergeant has given back a book advance to his publishers, claiming that he doesn't want to write another memoir.

According to the Radio Times, the advance was worth tens of thousands of pounds.

The Strictly Come Dancing star said: "You can't go on writing the same book - not only is it boring, it's a terrific strain too.

"What I was really expecting to do when I left ITN was to write books, because I had a two-book contract with Macmillan. Had I been less well-known, I could have written a book on the history of the police, or something that would have interested me hugely, but all they really wanted was my memoirs."

A Macmillan spokesperson told the BBC: "We cancelled the contract early three years ago by mutual agreement. Books only work when authors feel passionate about their subject, but sadly we couldn't find a subject that John felt sufficiently excited about."

Sergeant confessed that he "felt incredibly free" after paying the money back.