A BELOVED arts and culture legend turned local newspaper columnist will officially unveil his new paperback at his spiritual home next month.

Dr Anthony Roberts will launch Never Knowingly Understood on December 4 at Colchester Arts Centre, in Church Street, where he is a director.

The book consists of a collection of his best published columns for the Daily Gazette and its sister paper the Essex County Standard.

The keen poet, who has a degree in English and Drama from Bristol University, landed his column shortly after becoming interim manager Firstsite back in 2015.

Gazette:

Over the years his submissions have consisted of reflections, ideas and general commentary, as well as the frustrations and idiosyncrasies of everyday life.

All written with either a comical or candid approach, the subject matter of his pieces has leapt from farce to fornication and frequent failures to his fierce frivolousness.

The book, which has been edited by Dr Jon Crane and Emma Kittle-Pey, also features a preface by the Gazette's Wendy Brading.

Over the course of his launch evening, Anthony will speak about the paperback – and read from it - with journalist Anthony Clavane.

“The columns are all beautifully written and full of insight, delivered in his own inimitable style,” said Mr Clavane.

Tickets for the 2pm event cost £5 and can be purchased from colchesterartscentre.com.