jeffevans.co.uk
JEFF EVANS
Journalist, author, beer expert, pop culture historian
Jeff Evans is a freelance journalist and author with more than 30 years’ experience in writing – and talking – about beer and pop culture.
You can find out more about his work below.
GET IN TOUCH!
If you'd like to chat to Jeff about a project, a book, a feature, some judging or a talk, don't hesitate to get in touch.
JEFF'S WORK
Beer Writing and Judging
Jeff Evans began writing professionally about beer in the 1980s and, in 1990, became Editor of CAMRA's best-selling Good Beer Guide, piloting the 'beer lover's bible' through eight successive and successful editions.
He has subsequently written eight editions of the Good Bottled Beer Guide for CAMRA Books, as well as The Book of Beer Knowledge (three editions), A Beer a Day and So You Want to Be a Beer Expert? for the same publishers. His acclaimed e-book, Beer Lover's Britain, is currently available for Kindle.
Jeff is a columnist for Drinks Retailing and has written regularly for journals such as What's Brewing, Beer, Morning Advertiser, All About Beer, Restaurant, Brewers' Guardian, Drinks International and Class, as well as in the national press.
Jeff also hosts talks and tastings in the UK and around the world, and has often been heard and seen sharing his passion for beer on radio and television. He has judged beer in more than a dozen countries and has been Chairman of the Judges for the International Beer Challenge since 2003.
Among his awards, Jeff has been judged Beer Writer of the Year by the British Guild of Beer Writers.
He ran the Inside Beer website for ten years and can still be found on X (Twitter) @insidebeer.
Popular Culture
As well as specialising in beer, Jeff is widely acknowledged as an expert in popular culture.
He has written numerous books about television, including four editions of The Penguin TV Companion. Other titles include Evans’ TV Trivia (HarperCollins), Midsomer Murders: the Making of an English Crime Classic (Batsford) and Rock & Pop on British TV (Omnibus Press).
Jeff can be found on X (Twitter) @TheTVCompanion and @RockandPopTV.
Popular Culture
JEFF'S BOOKS
A selection of the books Jeff has written on popular culture and beer.
Britain’s most detailed television reference book. More than 1,000 pages loaded with information about programmes and people that have shaped TV history.
Midsomer Murders: the Making of an English Crime Classic
A behind-the-scenes account of this quintessentially British television series.
An absorbing collection of political facts, feats and useful knowledge. A fun book that explains all you need to know about the workings of politics and parliaments.
The fascinating story of 60 years of pop music on television, from ground-breaking shows such as Six-Five Special and Oh Boy! in the 1950s through to the present day.
Beer
The CAMRA Guide to Real Ale in a Bottle: the essential, informative guide to all known bottle-conditioned beers brewed in the UK.
An indispensable guide to the world of British beer and pubs, available as a Kindle e-book. All the information visitors need to make the most of their trip.
So You Want to Be a Beer Expert?
All you ever wanted to know about beer but were afraid to ask. This colourful, interactive book doesn't just tell you, it helps you find out for yourself.
An absorbing miscellany of beer information, handy for quick reference or a fascinating, fun browse.
Pop on the Box
Book Jeff for a nostalgic trip into the past as he presents his illustrated history of 60 years of pop and rock music on television, beginning in the 1950s with shows such as Six-Five Special and Oh Boy! and continuing through the decades with programmes including Juke Box Jury, Thank Your Lucky Stars, Ready, Steady, Go!, Top of the Pops, The Old Grey Whistle Test, The Tube and Later with Jools Holland, as well as a number of programmes that you may just have forgotten.
This talk – which is based on Jeff's book Rock & Pop on British TV – can vary in length and can be shaped to suit the age range of the audience.
JEFF'S TV TALKS
Jeff presents a number of fascinating, informative and fun talks about the history of television, some of which are illustrated below. For further information and to book a talk for your club, group or society, please contact Jeff at getintouch@jeffevans.co.uk.
Jeff's fully illustrated, entertaining talk covers the whole colourful history of the TV quiz show from its earliest days in the 1930s to today, showing how the format developed, celebrating the good, the bad and the ugly, and unearthing some very dodgy dealing along the way.
Expect lots of warm memories, plenty of surprises and lots of 'I didn't know that' moments in this 50–60-minute talk.
The Questionable History of TV Quiz Show
One of television's most successful creations is the quiz show – the programme where everyone can show how clever they are and possibly earn a small fortune in the process. But where did it all begin? Which shows have been the most successful? And who, along the way, have been the winners, losers and – perhaps most intriguingly – the cheaters?
Football, rugby, cricket, tennis, rowing, horse racing, boxing, wrestling, athletics and snooker all feature prominently, as do some rather less obvious sports, and some truly wacky moments, that have graced the television screen over the years. And there’s also a chance to learn more about the many presenters, commentators and sports analysts who have contributed so much to the viewing experience.
Jeff’s 50–60-minute talk will carry you back in time, helping you to relive some of the most exciting sporting moments over the decades and taking you behind the scenes of the most fondly-remembered sports programmes.
They Think It's All Over!
A History of Sport on TV
It’s been nearly 90 years since a major sporting event was first shown on British television and, boy, has TV’s coverage of sport changed since those early days.
Jeff tells you all about the history of sport on TV in this lively, fully-illustrated talk, offering lots of ‘I never knew that’ moments and bringing back many warm memories.
Some people will remember the earliest TV stars such as Muffin the Mule and Andy Pandy; others will recall with great fondness series such as Crackerjack, Ivor the Engine, Thunderbirds, The Magic Roundabout and the rather spooky The Singing Ringing Tree. This talk features them all, and much more besides.
This fully illustrated, 50–60-minute talk will bring back a wealth of happy memories and, as ever, Jeff ensures that there are plenty of surprises along the way.
The Golden Age of Children's Television
Join Jeff on a journey through your childhood as he tells the wonderful story of of children’s television in the UK.
Jeff’s lively talk covers the period from the start of television to the 1970s, truly a golden age for those of us who grew up glued to the small screen when we returned home from school.
GET IN TOUCH!
