In 1973, Anthony Holden, who has died aged 76 following a brain tumour, was hired by Harold Evans as a home and foreign reporter for the Sunday Times. This marked the start of his career as a correspondent, feature writer and editor of various sections of national titles that he worked on. Early recognition came through a 1976 British Press award for his coverage of events in Northern Ireland.
The following year Evans made Tony editor of the Atticus diary column and he got the columnist award. His copy was always impeccable and he had the gift of turning any event or meeting with prominent people into a perfectly pitched anecdote.
