‘Pacy, witty and affectionate’ Guardian

Rob Beckett never seems to fit in. At work, in the middle-class world of television and comedy, he’s the laddie, cockney geezer, but to his mates down the pub in south-east London, he’s the theatrical one, a media luvvie. Even at home, his wife and kids are posher than him.

In this hilarious exploration of class, Rob compares his life growing up as a working-class kid to the life he lives now, trying to understand where he truly belongs.

Will he always be that fat kid who was told he’d never be a high-flyer? Why does he feel ashamed if he does anything vaguely middle class? Will he ever favour craft beer over lager? What happens if you eat 50 olives and drink two bottles of champagne? Why is ‘boner’ such a funny word?

In search of answers, Rob relives the moments in his life when the class divide couldn’t be more obvious. Whether it’s the gig for rich bankers that was worse than Matt Hancock hosting the GQ Men of the Year Awards, turning up at a swanky celebrity house party with a blue bag of cans from the offy or identifying the root of his ambition as a childhood incident involving soiled pants and Jurassic Park, Rob digs deep.

A Class Act is his funny, candid and often moving account of what it feels like to be an outsider and the valuable (sometimes humiliating) life lessons he’s learned along the way.

Rob Beckett, the Sunday Times bestselling author, continues to navigate the tumultuous waters of his personal relationships, both in his marriage and with his family. His humour, a constant in his life, serves as a beacon, guiding him through the complexities of his long-term journey in the world of entertainment.

For fans of Romesh Ranganathan (As Good As It Gets), James Acaster (Perfect Sound Whatever), Katherine Ryan (The Audacity), Sarah Millican (How to be Champion), and Lenny Henry (Rising to the Surface).

A Class Act: Life as a working-class man in a middle-class world

A Class Act: Life as a working-class man in a middle-class world