Jamie breaks £100m barrier

The Bookseller - 19.11.10 -Philip Stone and Charlotte Williams

TV chef Jamie Oliver has become only the second author to pass the £100m sales mark through the TCM since records began. The huge success of his latest cookbook, Jamie's 30-Minute Meals (Michael Joseph), carried his sales into nine figures last week, totalling £100.4m to date.

J K Rowling is the only other author to have passed the £100m milestone since Nielsen BookScan records began in 1998, with her total sales worth £230.2m.


Waterstone's spokesman Jon Howells said: "It's an outstanding achievement for Jamie, but from day one his profile has been huge and his publishing has been excellent. He has experimented in format and theme, but it's books like this year's 30-minute recipes that are classic Jamie —great advice for everyday people, readable, enjoyable and excellently packaged and backed up by great TV."

Rachel Russell, business unit director for books at W H Smith, said: "His series are usually targeted at everyday people . . . It's uncomplicated and inspiring at the same time."

Penguin deputy c.e.o. Tom Weldon said: "Jamie appeals to everyone. He says the most important thing in his career are the books, and is obsessed with every detail. He is very important to us and with that level of sales he has been critical to Penguin's success over the past decade . . . I think it does reflect a trend that really big authors are only getting bigger and bigger."

Three of Oliver's cookbooks have taken more than £10m through the tills: The Return of the Naked Chef, Happy Days with the Naked Chef and Jamie at Home. The next most successful British cookery writer is Delia Smith with sales of £62.5m.