Simon Armitage was born and grew up in West Yorkshire. A former probation officer, he is the recipient of numerous prizes and awards, including the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry. He has published over a dozen poetry collections including Blossomise, a recent Sunday Times bestseller. Armitage also writes, records and performs with the band LYR and has received an Ivor Novello Award for his song writing. His book Never Good with Horses features his song lyrics for the first time and celebrates his ear for the music of language.
A regular broadcaster, Armitage presented the popular BBC Radio 4 series The Poet Laureate has Gone to his Shed and, new last winter, My Poetry and Other Animals. He also contributes to Guy Garvey's Finest Hour (BBC Radio 6 Music). An award-winning dramatist, his play The Last Days of Troy and his contemporary spin on Hansel and Gretel were performed at Shakespeare's Globe. He is also the author of two novels and three non-fiction bestsellers: All Points North, Walking Home and Walking Away.
Armitage is Professor of Poetry at the University of Leeds. His acclaimed medieval translation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, has sold over 100,000 copies. A Vertical Art brings together the vibrant and engaging lectures from his tenure as Oxford Professor of Poetry (2015-2019). He was appointed UK Poet Laureate in 2019.
