Talking Bottom
By Mat Brooks, Angela Pearson and Paul Tanter
A Guide to the Cult Sitcom
Publication date: TBC
Pre-orderDid you just hear the letterbox flapping?
PLUS:
- A SIGNED first edition paperback
- An ebook
- Your name printed in the book as a supporter
- Talking Bottom badge

The gaudily stained loveblob containers
One size XXL novelty underwear.
PLUS:
- A SIGNED first edition paperback
- An ebook
- Your name printed in the book as a supporter
- Talking Bottom badge

Grasping little Fagin
PLUS:
- Ebook, plus your name printed in the book as a supporter.

Madame Swish
PLUS:
- Talking Bottom badge

This sort of squiggle is you?
PLUS:
- Talking Bottom badge

One potato or two? Two please
PLUS:
- Talking Bottom badge

Stick it on the slate
PLUS:
- A SIGNED first edition paperback
- An ebook
- Your name printed in the book as a supporter
- Talking Bottom badge
Foxy Stoat
PLUS:
- Talking Bottom badge

Steaming Cold Tea
PLUS:
- An invite to the publication day pub crawl
- A SIGNED first edition paperback
- An ebook
- Your name printed in the book as a supporter
- Talking Bottom badge
The one with the poison in
PLUS:
- An invite to the publication day pub crawl
- A SIGNED first edition paperback
- An ebook
- Your name printed in the book as a supporter
- Talking Bottom badge

An original Van de Heusen!
PLUS:
- An invite to the publication day pub crawl
- A SIGNED first edition paperback
- An ebook
- Your name printed in the book as a supporter
- Talking Bottom badge

I've been studying that picture
PLUS:
- An invite to the publication day pub crawl
- A SIGNED first edition paperback
- An ebook
- Your name printed in the book as a supporter
- Talking Bottom badge
I thought I heard sleigh bells, has he been?
PLUS:
- The tea towel, mug, art print and invite to the pub crawl
- A SIGNED first edition paperback
- An ebook
- Your name printed in the book as a supporter
- Talking Bottom badge
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I get my book delivered to?
How do supporter names work?
Will the book and rewards that I receive look the same as the images shown on the Unbound website?
In September 1991 a new comedy graced British screens - at first glance just another sofa-based sitcom – but Bottom was like no other show that’s gone before or indeed since. It skewed viewers’ expectations by being juvenile, crude, violent and very, very funny. Two of life’s losers, trapped on the fringes of society, endured miserable existences and sought solace wherever they could get their kicks; booze, birds and each other’s b*llocks.
Written by and starring prolific comedians Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson, Bottom set itself apart from their already celebrated previous work, such as the iconic The Young Ones, and merged cartoon-style slapstick with nob gags and Beckett-style nihilist humour.
Bottom won a British Comedy award and ran for three series, five live stage shows and feature film; Guest House Paradiso. Today fans make do with repeated viewings and, thanks to various streaming platforms, Bottom continues to delight and disgust new audiences.
But that wasn’t enough for some sad old gits. In 2018, three comedy vultures – Mat Brooks, Angela Pearson and Paul Tanter - jumped on the podcast bandwagon so they could pick over their favourite sitcom. Piggy-backing off Rik and Ade’s success, the podcast found fellow die-hard fans that were surprisingly keen to listen to three nobodies’ discussions.
Every podcast forms one-hour portions analysing each Bottom episode. Now, lazily using the same title as the podcast, ‘Talking Bottom: A guide to the cult sitcom’ will not simply parrot what you can download for free. It will be the first and only critical study of Britain’s best ever comedy series.
Think of it as the sad pathtic wunker’s unofficial guide to Bottom. With generous financial backing, three parasitic usurers will channel their lack of social lives and encyclopaedic knowledge of Bottom into a handy paperback you can have a good flick through (oo-er!), just in time to completely miss the show’s 30thanniversary this September.
The book will feature:
* The content of previously unseen first drafts of episode scripts - lost scenes cut and not printed in the script books – providing fascinating insight into how Rik and Ade’s writing process evolved.
* Essays exploring each episode and, yes, we’ll also do the Live shows!
* Chapters on Rik and Ade’s own inspirations (such as Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, Steptoe and Son and Hancock’s Half Hour) and why Bottom deserves a place, in its political and historical context, amongst the greatest traditional British comedies of all time.
* Material drawn from interviews with Rik and Ade, our own interview with Bottom’s director/producer Ed Bye and members of the supporting cast.
* Unseen photographs
* Original artwork
Quick select rewards
Did you just hear the letterbox flapping?
PLUS:
- A SIGNED first edition paperback
- An ebook
- Your name printed in the book as a supporter
- Talking Bottom badge

The gaudily stained loveblob containers
One size XXL novelty underwear.
PLUS:
- A SIGNED first edition paperback
- An ebook
- Your name printed in the book as a supporter
- Talking Bottom badge

Hello, curious if the Madame Swish pledge level comes with the ebook as well?
Yes it does. Our mistake in not mentioning it! I will change it now. Thank you.
It says 78% funded but I was just wondering how much more in monetary terms is needed for this please? And how long has this been in the process please?
Hi Matthew, great name by the way. We are now over 100% funded and we started funding a week ago. Got there very quick, thank you for your interest and support. I hope you bought at lest 3 books x
Hi guys. Smashing podcast by the way... I donated on behalf of myself and my two brothers, Matthew and Rob. Is it possible for our names to be listed together in the book?
Hi Iain, If you'd like to change the name listed you can do this in your account. More info on how to do this here: http://help.unbound.com/en/articles/3159741-changing-the-supporter-name-that-s-printed-in-a-book I hope this helps! Unbound support
Just wondering as there is two slots to add names. So could I add my name and a friend's name and they will be printed as two separate supporters Scott
Yes, we would treat your friend as if was a supporter I think. Definitely both names will appear. We wont make your friend stand in the corner cos they haven't been properly invited.
Hello, I'm considering backing your wonderful project, but I just wanted to know a few things related to it. Firstly, does your "I thought I heard sleigh bells, has he been?" reward contain the menu that comes with the tea towel. Secondly, would you please consider adding the underwear, letter, and t-shirt, to your "I thought I heard sleigh bells, has he been?" reward (As I am a sad pathtic winker, who wants to collect everything). If this isn't feasible, might I suggest creating a reward above this one that really does include everything. I'm only asking this as I want to buy every piece of memorabilia offered, but I don't want to have to pay for several extra books to achieve this. Lastly, will the postcards goal and the exclusive pdf chapter goal be coming to all the rewards, once their stretch goals are reached. Sorry for the long winded comment, but I just wanted to be able to ask all my questions in one go, rather than keep pestering you. Kind regards, Germaine Shiz.
Hi Germaine, as Unbound run the reward levels we will mention this to them and get them to come back to you. Thank you!
Hi there officer, really love the podcast *salutes* love the idea of this book! Have I missed the opportunity to get me and my brother not lovers two great names into the book?
Hi Shane, no you haven't missed it at all! All reward levels are still open. When the pledges are near closing then Unbound will email you to confirm the names you want.