In the 80s Charlie was lead singer in the Indie dance band The Higsons, whose hits included I Don’t Want To Live With Monkeys, and Run Me Down.
Charlie wrote 4 adult crime novels, ‘King Of The Ants’, ‘Happy Now’, ‘Full Whack’ and ‘Getting Rid Of Mr Kitchen’ in the 1990s and returned to crime writing in 2022 with the publication of ‘Whatever Gets You Through The Night’. 2023 saw his first foray into adult James Bond novels with ‘On His Majesty’s Secret Service’, published to coincide with the coronation of King Charles III.
His book for younger children, ‘Worst. Holiday. Ever’, was published in 2021 and the sequel, ‘Worst. Superhero. Ever’ came out in Autumn 2024.
His TV writing work includes Saturday Live, Harry Enfield’s Television Programme, Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple, Professor Branestawm, the sitcom – Swiss Toni, and the BAFTA winning sketch show, The Fast Show, which he co-created, co-produced and starred in with Paul Whitehouse.
Charlie and Paul also co-produced and performed in the award-winning spoof radio series Down the Line for BBC Radio 4, which led to the BBC2 television series Bellamy’s People.
Charlie was also show-runner, and lead writer on two drama series – Randall & Hopkirk Deceased, for the BBC, and Jekyll & Hyde, for ITV.
As well as appearing in many of his own productions, Charlie had major acting roles in the dramas Broadchurch and Grantchester in 2017.
In 2023 Charlie launched his own podcast, a history of the British monarchy called ‘Willy Willy Harry Stee’. His first non-fiction book – Willie, Willie, Harry, Stee – inspired by the podcast – was published in October 2025 by Harper Collins.
Charlie’s fist picture book for younger children, What’s that Noise? illustrated by the award-winning Nadia Shireen, was published in Spring 2025.
He lives in London and has three children.
