One alum discovers the extraordinary life of a largely unsung King's hero

Working on a BBC Radio 4 documentary led writer and performer Mike Shephard to discover the extraordinary work of another King's alum, the novelist, poet and literary critic, BS Johnson (English Literature, 1959).

How did you find out about BS Johnson?

'I'd been working on the brilliantly surreal Beef & Dairy Network podcast created by Ben Partridge. He asked me if I'd heard of the novelist BS Johnson. To my shame, I hadn’t, although I was vaguely aware of his novel, The Unfortunates, remembering there was a book from the 1960s where the chapters came loose in a box, with the potential to be read in any order. I didn't know anything of the vigorous and vehement individual behind it.

‘'Ben was producing a documentary about The Unfortunates with comedian Rob Auton for Radio 4's The Exploding Library series. He thought I'd be a good choice to voice different extracts of Johnson's words. He seemed to think that I possessed a kind of "Johnson-ish" quality. On reflection, I hope it means that he sees me as a visionary genius and not, as BS could also be, difficult to work with.’

What did you discover about BS Johnson?

'Once I had the job, I looked Johnson up. I was surprised to find that, not only did we share a birthday, but he also studied at King's. He chose King's over UCL because he preferred the sound of the name.  

'He came to university relatively late, at the age of 23, and he might have cut something of an odd figure with his suit and briefcase, even in the 1950s. Usually you can count on any notable King's alumni to be commemorated in a large portrait on the Strand, so it was great to discover someone new.'

What was he like as a writer? 

'He had the potential to be as passionate about a plate of chips as he was the life and works of Dr Samuel Johnson. He displayed the same meticulous flair in the reporting of a football match as he gave to his experimental novels. He's a cult figure who deserves to be more widely known. I'm a particular fan of his film Fat Man on a Beach, where he speaks with intelligence on a stretch of Pembrokeshire coastline before striding triumphantly into the sea.’

Where can we find out more about BS Johnson?

'Jonathan Coe has written an excellent biography, Like a Fiery Elephant, and Johnson's short films that he made for television can be bought as a DVD collection from the British Film Institute. But, as you might imagine, I'm going to suggest that the best starting point might be the episode of The Exploding Library about The Unfortunates, which is still available to listen to on BBC Sounds.'

Is there anything else you would like to add?

'Only my apologies to the spirit of BS Johnson, who would be furious that I have blandly answered these questions in the conventional order that they were asked.'