ANTHROPOLOGIST and TV presenter Professor Alice Roberts is back on our small screens with her new Channel 4 series, Britain’s Most Historic Towns.

Now fans of the show will be able to get up close and personal with the broadcaster when she visits the Regent Centre in Christchurch on Wednesday, October 9 at 7.30pm.

Alice who has been delving into Britain’s past, and making archaeology programmes for nearly 20 years, told the Echo she has loved science from an early age.

“I was always asking questions about the world around me, and I was particularly fascinated in biology. I remember having my first microscope and how wonderful it was to see all that new detail in natural structures – from a bee’s wing to tiny creatures in pond water.

“I also enjoyed finding small pieces of pottery when I dug the vegetable patch in the garden - my first experience of hands-on archaeology! That joy of finding things out has stayed with me.

“I originally studied medicine at university, and then worked as a junior doctor - but it was a six-month job at Bristol University, where I taught anatomy to medical students, which rekindled my love of anatomy. I stayed on as a lecturer and embarked on a PhD - looking at disease in ancient bones, and comparing human and chimpanzee skeletons. For a few years, I thought I’d eventually go back to surgery, but academia had snared me - in a good way.

“Now, I balance being a professor at the University of Birmingham with writing books and making television programmes. I feel very lucky: I really enjoy the variety of work that I do.”

Alice joined Time Team as a bone expert before going on to present anthropology and archaeology stories on BBC Two’s immensely popular Coast series and co-presenting The Celts in 2015.

Alice has presented seven series of Digging for Britain, sharing new archaeological discoveries from across the UK on BBC Four, and she has explored the history of our towns and cities in Britain’s Most Historic Towns on Channel 4 - which will be back with a second series in 2019. She has written eight popular science and archaeology books, including The Celts and Tamed: Ten species that changed our world.

Alice will be sharing insights, anecdotes and behind-the-scenes stories from her personal journey to explore Britain’s past, with footage from her programmes and excerpts from her books. The show includes a Q&A. Tickets: £22, concessions £20. See regentcentre.co.uk