Dan Brown, one of the biggest selling authors of all time, has told BBC Hardtalk's Stephen Sackur that although he no longer believes in the Christian faith in which he was raised, he cannot quite give up on the idea of a higher power either.

Mr Brown said that research for his latest book had led him to believe that the laws of physics alone were enough to create life, but it was very hard for him to become an atheist.

"I am certainly moving in that direction, but for me in my life, it is still hard to sort of say there's nothing," said Brown.

He also warned of the dangers of religion reading "metaphors as fact".

Watch the full interview on Monday 23 October 2017 on BBC World News and the BBC News Channel or watch again on BBC iPlayer (UK only).