A biting social satire of one of the world's most popular cultural phenomena from the bestselling author of The First Casualty.

Chart Throb is the ultimate pop quest. There are ninety five thousand hopefuls, three judges, just one winner. And that's Calvin Simms, the genius behind the show. Calvin always wins because Calvin writes the rules. But this year, as he sits smugly in judgement upon the mingers, clingers and blingers whom he has pre-selected in his carefully scripted 'search' for a star, he has no idea that the rules are changing. The 'real' is about to be put back into 'reality' television and Calvin and his fellow judges (the nation's favourite mum and the other bloke) are about to become ex-factors themselves. Ben Elton, author of "Popcorn" and "Dead Famous" returns to blistering comic satire with a savagely hilarious deconstruction of the world of modern television talent shows. Chart Throb has one winner and a whole bunch of losers.

Chart Throb.The ultimate pop quest.

Ninety five thousand hopefuls. Three judges. Just one winner.
And that?s Calvin Simms, the genius behind the show.

Calvin always wins because Calvin writes the rules. But this year, as he sits smugly in judgement upon the mingers, clingers and blingers whom he has pre-selected in his carefully scripted ?search? for a star, he has no idea that the rules are changing. The ?real? is about to be put back into ?reality? television and Calvin and his fellow judges (the nation?s favourite mum and the other bloke) are about to become ex-factors themselves.

Ben Elton, author of Popcorn and Dead Famous returns to blistering comic satire with a savagely hilarious deconstruction of the world of modern television talent shows.

Chart Throb. One winner. A whole bunch of losers.

Crazed, no talent fame junkies?And that?s just the judges.

Chart Throb.The ultimate pop quest. Ninety-five thousand hopefuls. Three judges. Just one winner. And that?s Calvin Simms, the genius behind the show.

Calvin always wins because Calvin writes the rules. But this year, as he sits in judgement upon the Mingers, Clingers and Blingers whom he has pre-selected in his carefully scripted ?search? for a star, he has no idea that the rules are changing. The ?real? is about to be put back into ?reality? television and Calvin and his fellow judges are about to become ex-factors themselves.

Ben Elton, author of Popcorn and Dead Famous, returns to blistering comic satire with a savagely hilarious deconstruction of the world of modern television talent shows.

Chart Throb. One winner. A whole bunch of losers.

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

Ben Elton?s career encompasses some of the most memorable and incisive comedy of the past twenty-five years.His TV writing and performing credits include such multi-award-winning shows as The Young Ones, Blackadder, Saturday Live, The Man from Auntie and The Thin Blue Line. His three hit West End stage plays are Gasping, Silly Cow and Popcorn, which won the Olivier Award for best comedy. He wrote and directed the feature film Maybe Baby, starring Hugh Laurie and Joely Richardson, which was based on his novel Inconceivable. He has also written three stage musicals including the global phenomenon We Will Rock You, which he created with Queen and which he also directs worldwide.

He has written ten internationally bestselling novels including Dead Famous, The First Casualty and High Society, which won the WH Smith People?s Choice Award. He recently returned to stand-up comedy after a gap of almost ten years and his new show, Get a Grip, played to packed houses in the UK, Australia and New Zealand.

2008-07-06 Insightful

Chart Throb is a must read for any fan of X-Factor, Pop Idol, etc. Elton's story follows the next evolutionary step, where the talent search genre is full of exploitation, double-crossing and wierdos. Chart Throb is an unpredictable and entertaining journey through one season of the show, where all the bets are off (except for all the rigged entrants!) and chaos reigns. It's a great read, however don't be expecting plenty of belly laughs. The humour is wry and would be entirely missed by those who have never been caught up in the reality TV that spams the civilised world. Interesting characters and an intriguing plot will help the TV stay off until you turn the very last page.