A former regional editor has written a biography of a comedian and television presenter who was also his great-uncle.

Mike Malyon, who edited the Nuneaton Tribune, has released Seems Like a Nice Boy about former Generation Game host Larry Grayson.

Larry’s catchphrase “Shut that door” became famous in the 1970s and he later succeded Bruce Forsyth at the helm of the hit Saturday evening show.

Mike, pictured left, who inherited precious family memorabilia including photographs which appear in the book, wrote the book in tribute to his famous relative.

Larry, born William Sulley White in 1923, was handed over as a baby to a Nuneaton miner’s family and brought up by his adoptive sister, Flo, who was to become his lifelong companion.

As host of BBC TV’s The Generation Game he helped to attract weekly audiences of around 20 million.

Said Mike: “My uncle remains very much a showbiz icon. Despite it being almost 21 years since his sudden death, at the age of 71, Larry is still fondly remembered and often recalled, in TV clips or through YouTube replays.

“I am proud to pay tribute to a uniquely talented, very warm, honest, gentle man who overcame lots of obstacles to achieve his dream.

“The book contains reminiscences from people who knew him in the early days, who appeared with him on stage and screen and who enjoyed his company right to the end.

“It tells what he went through, every step of the way and the sadness at losing the person closest to him, leaving him to spend his final days living alone.”

With a foreword by Lord Michael Grade CBE, the book is published by Apex Publishing, priced £9.99 and is available in bookshops and from Amazon.