My friend and colleague Steve Grant, who has died aged 73 of a heart attack, was a critic, feature writer and columnist on Time Out.

Starting on the Morning Star in London in 1972, he went to the Camden Journal before becoming deputy editor of Plays and Players. In 1976, he went to Time Out, a magazine entirely suited to his talents, in that it treated high and popular art with equal seriousness. He initially worked in the theatre section, rising to executive editor, and was possibly the least discreet member of management ever. Steve quickly became well known for his reviews, which, when positive, sent the box office phones into overdrive, but could be cutting about anything he felt was pretentious.

At Time Out he enjoyed interviewing extrovert characters like Bob Hoskins and Warren Mitchell. But he was happy to talk cricket with Samuel Beckett. And a particular highlight was his interview with Harold Pinter, a playwright he had revered since childhood. One of his most precious possessions was a recording of The Caretaker with Donald Pleasence. He wrote two plays, Assassinations, and Marx and Sparks, which were presented by Major Road theatre company in the 1970s, and a book on Neil Young in 1998, which linked Young’s songs with events in Steve’s own life.

Born in Lambeth, south London to Harold, a chauffeur, and Betty (nee Sefton), a dinner lady, he soon relocated with his family to Luton, Bedfordshire. Steve attended Dunstable grammar school, with which he had a rocky relationship. The school failed to support his application to Oxbridge, so, being an admirer of Philip Larkin, he chose instead to go to Hull to study English. He went on in 1969 to do a master’s on George Gissing at Manchester, where he gave a rousing speech opposing the motion that Enoch Powell should be invited to speak to the Union.

Steve was a man of many passions: he loved literature, Arsenal football club, theatre, food, music, fags and, when he could get it, dope. One of the few things he was not so keen on was exercise.

He could be warm and witty, but also intimidating. His mental health problems worsened towards the end of the 1990s and he was diagnosed as bipolar in 2000. He left Time Out and worked for a while on the Sunday Times and the Independent on Sunday. He spent his last 10 years being cared for in a home.

Steve is survived by his ex-wife, Ann (nee Oxley), and by his two children, Meg and William.