Frank and revealing, this fully authorised biography by Tommy's friend and colleague, acclaimed TV producer, John Fisher, is the first ever intimate portrait of Britain's best-loved, but little known, comedy entertainer.

With a love of laughter stemming from a magic performance gone wrong when he was just a child, Cooper enlisted in the army at the age of 18 and perfected his comic timing on his army colleagues in the Egyptian desert. The man with the Fez was born.

Cooper was the heart of the thriving British variety scene, and was adored by his legion of fans, and much revered on the comedy circuit. The gentle giant of entertainment accompanied his bewildered, botched magic act with a sublime sense of timing and a face that was made for comedy.

Everyone has a favourite Tommy Cooper moment or joke, but this is the story from his life-long friend John Fisher, using the archives of Tommy's manager Miff Ferrie to reveal the man behind the laughs.