Victoria Wood was born in Prestwich, Lancashire, in 1953. She is one of Britain's top comedians. Her first stage play, Talent (1978) was awarded the Plays and Players and Evening Standard Award for Most Promising PLaywright. It was then adapted for television in 1979 and won the Pye Television Most Promsing New Writer Award. Wood subsequently wrote two television plays, Nearly a Happy Ending and Happy Since I Met You, and a second stage play, Good Fun (Sheffield Crucible 1980; King's Head Theatre, London, 1981). Her television series include Wood and Walters and Dinner Ladies, as well as the two As Seen on TV series, followed by a TV special which won BAFTA awards for Best Light Entertainment Programme in 1986 and 1987. She has performed a series of one-woman shows in theatres all over Britain, including the London Palladium in 1987. Her previous books, Lucky Bag: The Victoria Wood Song Book; Up to You, Porky: The Victoria Wood Sketch Book; and Barmy: The New Victoria Wood Song Book were based on these shows. Her first full-length comedy film, Pat and Margaret, was screened by the BBC in September 1994.

'It's the homely and subversive sense of humour as much as the format and cultural references that identifies the youthful playwright' Time Out London - Caroline McGinn