Beckham scores literary success

Crowds have turned out for David Beckham book signings

David Beckham has matched his Spice Girl wife's achievement by scoring a number one in the book charts.

The Manchester United idol, who has been mobbed by fans at signings for his book My World, is top of the Sunday Times non-fiction list, to be published this weekend.

Beckham knocked The Beatles Anthology from the top slot, according to his publisher Hodder And Stoughton which was given early access to the chart.

Significantly, it has also considerably outsold Andrew Morton's unauthorised biography Posh & Becks: A Marriage, which angered the couple.

Cultural icon

Beckham's status as a cultural icon has been heightened by early viewing figures for last Saturday night's Parkinson show which attracted the second highest audience in the history of the programme.

The soccer heart-throb's book, which looks at his life and is packed with photographs, is already into a second print run.

David Beckham has become a cultural icon

Chart figures were compiled before he began a signing session at Borders bookshop, London, which attracted thousands.

Beckham said: "It's great being number one and I just want to say a huge thank you to all the fans who turned up to the signings and bought this book.

"Their support has been fantastic."

Beckham's wife, Victoria, has helped the Spice Girls to their ninth successive number one single.

Their double A side Holler/Let Love Lead The Way has gone straight to the top of the charts.

Only Madonna, Cliff Richard, Elvis and The Beatles have had more number one singles than the Spice Girls.