Tom King

Tom King

Raised in Essex, Tom King read English at Oxford, where he was gossip editor of the student magazine Isis. His subsequent journalistic career has included stints as editor, sub-editor, crime reporter, travel writer, business editor, gossip columnist. leader writer, political correspondent and film and theatre reviewer. For the final 17 years of his staff career he was chief feature writer for the Newsquest Essex newspaper group. He left in 2016 to pursue a freelance writing career. Tom is a Blue Badge tourist guide and two-times semi-finalist on the BBC TV quiz show Mastermind.

When not walking, reading or writing, Tom tends a 3-acre Essex hilltop garden, overlooking the Thames Estuary - the first view he sees when he wakes up every morning. He says: 'Neither the garden nor the Estuary are ever the same from one day to the next.'

His current works include:  The Long Path Through the Woods (account of a 1500 mile walk through England’s ancient forests and greenwoods); The Atlas of British Comedy and Humour; The Retreads (sitcom pilot).

For Estuary 2021 Tom is writing new chapters for an extended second edition of his book Thames Estuary Trail: a Walk round the End of the World - first published in 2001 (Desert Island Books) and now revisted 20 years later.

Estuary 2021 is made possible by

Principal Partners

Creative_Estuary_New_1   ace

Major Partners

ecc uok thurrock thames_gateway selep medway  thames estuary   ebbsfleet    Ebbsfleet mayor locatekent kentcc gravesham uoe bas_coun   south_coun Here for Culture

Commissioning Partners

book_fest community_fund heritage_fund creative_coast bexleysalford fpg lesnes Essex2020Logo The Old Waterworks Logo UCA1

Festival Partners

arts_human uni_south uni_oxford uni_glas send_pier pla opp_se henley Flowers Gallery logoc2c roh southeastern Thamesmead2 Peabody2 BowArts3 raddison uber arriva Canterbury Dartford Faversham Swale1 Thanet Visit c2c1 Chat

Festival Supporters

essex_diversity SouthEssex1 UniversityCentre1 Churches International Exeter Wales Ramm Artist Grand