I started life as a research scientist and my PhD looked for statistical patterns in childhood leukaemias to see what causes could be found. I then spent 24 years as a research scientist. But my story is messier than that, because I’m a playwright, actor, lighting designer, author, speaker, TEDx speaker and fire eater.

In fact one of the only two times my wife’s really, really yelled at me was when she found me teaching fire breathing to our daughter.

Apparently that’s “irresponsible parenting”!

I've also written best selling books on making better presentations, won awards for speaking and had standing ovations at the national conference of Professional Speaking Association of UK & Ireland.