Matthew James Chapman was born in Stoke-on-Trent in 1972. After completing a BA (Hons) in Communications Studies in 1995 at the University of Glamorgan, he moved to London in 1996 to study at the Journalism Training Centre, where he gained an NVQ in Core Skills in Journalism.
He has been a journalist since that time, working as: editorial assistant at Construction News; sub-editor at PA Listings and PA Weathercentre; sub-editor at Network News and Network Solutions; senior sub-editor at Personal Computer World; news reporter at Network News; news editor at The Net magazine; technical editor at Web User magazine; and deputy editor at Dreamwatch magazine.