What have I done? My Autobiography by Ben Elton

If you are like me, a child of the eighties, you’ll remember having to stay up until 11:30–12:00 on a Friday night to watch The Young Ones on TV1 in New Zealand. Fast forward a few years and we got Filthy Rich and Catflap and, of course, the now famous Blackadder. One name was involved in all of them: Ben Elton. So to say I was looking forward to Ben’s book is an understatement.

The book itself reads like having a conversation with Ben. At times, I imagined the Motormouth stand-up tape I used to have as a teenager, hearing his delivery in my head as I read about some of the biggest issues in the alternative comedy scene of the 1980s and 1990s.

In true Ben Elton style, he leaves no stone unturned. He talks about almost every issue the reader wants to hear about—from his friendship with Rik Mayall, and how Rik’s behaviour and alcoholism affected that friendship in later years, to what the old guard of British comedy thought of the new alternative comedy and its writers.

The book gives terrific insight into aspects of Elton’s comedy that he believes worked, including the background to “Bob” as a character in Blackadder. He also reflects on elements in his comedy scripts he regrets to this day, such as Mike the Cool Guy from The Young Ones and Filthy Rich and Catflap as a series.

Elton lets the reader peek behind the curtain to see that not everything was a success in his comedy world. This includes Blackadder, which was at one stage cancelled after its first series, and the reality of presenting a script to Rowan Atkinson—which, to be honest, didn’t sound like much fun.

The failures and missed opportunities—comedies that could have been but weren’t—are a real surprise, as are the stories of Elton’s political dalliances with Tony Blair and many within the Labour Party in the UK.

Elton also devotes significant space to his work with Queen, particularly the creation of the jukebox musical We Will Rock You. While the show became a global hit, Elton recounts the hostility it faced from critics, including Jonathan Ross, who mocked the production on air to millions. Elton’s defence of the musical is passionate, arguing that it brought joy to audiences despite elite disdain. Notably, it is still running as a show around the world.

What Have I Done? is a great read. I enjoyed it so much that I read it cover to cover in less than four hours. I enjoyed the book so much that my wife kindly asked me, on numerous occasions, to stop telling her stories from the 1980s and 1990s alternative comedy scene as I read. The fact that Ben Elton acknowledges his failures, confronts detractors, and celebrates his friendships with some of Britain’s most recognisable talents makes it a better read than most autobiographies.

It is as much a chronicle of British comedy’s golden age as it is a personal reckoning. For fans of The Young Ones, Blackadder, or We Will Rock You, this autobiography offers both nostalgia and insight into the battles behind the laughter. 5 stars!

Reviewer: Bryan Ward

Pan Macmillan