As 50% of the Two Steves, Steve Barlow has written over 250 books with Steve Skidmore since they first appeared in 1988. Born in Crewe, he was educated at Crewe Grammar School, Warwick University and Nottingham University before a varied career in teaching, acting, stage management and puppetry. He worked in a village school in Botswana for four years before returning to the UK. The Two Steves have toured extensively in the UK and overseas, and to book festivals including Edinburgh and Hay.