Cornish author's book made into Steve Coogan film

An author says it has been an "extraordinary journey" watching his book being turned into a film starring Steve Coogan.

Tom Michell's The Penguin Lessons is based on a trip he took to South America, in the 1970s where he ended up rescuing a penguin.

Mr Michell, a former chemistry teacher from Cornwall, came across thousands of dead penguins covered in oil on a beach in Uruguay while on a walk.

He found one penguin moving and decided to rescue it, which included taking it back to Argentina via customs, after a failed release in Uruguay.

Mr Michell's memoir has been turned into a film by Full Monty director Peter Cattaneo and stars Steve Coogan and Sir Jonathan Pryce.

The author said: "We were due to start filming in 2019 and then Covid came along so it never got going.

"During lockdown, Steve read the book and asked if he could do it, so it came back to me and I said 'great!'."

Speaking to BBC Radio Cornwall, he added: "I met Steve in Barcelona, he was working so hard, he's a very good actor, I was so delighted by that.

"I really enjoyed watching the film being made and it was like a military operation, quiet and controlled.

"It's been the most extraordinary journey, you could almost write a book about it!"

The film is due to be released in cinemas on 18 April.

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