
13th August, 2025
2 min read
Publicity Campaign Success: Making Johnny Ball’s Memoir Unmissable

Written by:
Sophie Morgan
When My Previous Life in Comedy launched in March, Troubador's sister company The Book Guild deployed a publicity campaign that transformed Johnny Ball’s memoir from a wonderful story into a nationwide conversation. The results? Outstanding visibility across print, broadcast, niche, and regional channels.
Strategic, Multi-Tiered Outreach
The campaign began months before publication. By January, the Book Guild had already developed a comprehensive media list, drafted press materials, and mapped out optimal pitch timings. Recognising that national outlets typically operate on long lead times while regional media can pivot more quickly, they tailored outreach accordingly.
Securing The Telegraph was a pivotal early success—it ran the first broadsheet interview, granting exclusive prestige without wholly restricting follow-on coverage. This carefully preserved exclusivity allowed Johnny to appear on both Loose Women and The One Show. Beyond television, the campaign diversified by offering The Guardian an extract rather than an interview, yielding coverage from a different angle without duplication.
As well as general media, the campaign extended to niche media aligned with Johnny’s unique background. The British Comedy Guide and Chortle, both respected platforms in the comedy sphere, ran interviews. Johnny’s RAF associations unlocked interest from RAF News, while Saga targeted their own readers, featuring him in their magazine and even offering a spot on one of their cruises! Meanwhile, Best of British made him their cover feature.
Regional outlets proved particularly receptive, capitalising on local ties in the memoir. Johnny appeared on BBC Radio Manchester, Bolton FM, BBC Radio Bristol, and print publications like The Bristol Post, Mancunian Matters and Bolton News. These appearances drove strong engagement in communities where his story resonates most.
As media coverage grew, word began to spread organically. The new podcast Making a Scene with Matt Lucas and David Walliams reached out after spotting the coverage, inviting Johnny to appear on the show.
This campaign demonstrates that a well-structured, phased, and targeted approach to media relations pays off. By combining foresight, strategic exclusivity, niche outreach and regional engagement, Johnny Ball’s memoir achieved remarkable reach. With thoughtful planning, any compelling story that is well-pitched can find its audience.
You can read more about the campaign on The Book Guild's website here.
Troubador Publicity Campaigns
Like the sound of the coverage The Book Guild achieved for Johnny Ball? Well, Troubador's publicity team also work hard for authors publishing through Troubador as well. The same planning process, the same campaign execution and the same expertise. Read more here about how we help authors get coverage for their books.