Grace Dent
Quick Facts
Biography
Grace Dent (born 3 October 1973) is an English journalist, author and broadcaster. Dent chiefly writes for The Independent, with an opinion column on Wednesday and a television column every Saturday. She writes "Grace and Flavour", a restaurant critic for the London Evening Standard and contributes to magazines such as Tatler and Marie Claire.
Dent has written eleven novels for teenagers., has fronted documentaries for Sky Atlantic and Channel 4, and appeared, among others, on Have I Got News For You (BBC1), The Now Show (Radio 4), The Review Show (BBC2), Film 2012 (BBC1), The Culture Show (BBC2), Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe (BBC4), Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled (Dave), Front Row (Radio 4) and The Lauren Laverne Show (6 Music).
Dent's first non-fiction title How To Leave Twitter (My Time as Queen of the Universe and Why This Must Stop) was published in July 2011.
Early life
Dent was born in Carlisle, Cumberland, and studied English Literature at Stirling University. While at university, she wrote features for Cosmopolitan.
She attended Bishop Goodwin Primary School in Carlisle.
Journalism
After graduating, Dent worked as an editorial assistant for Vogue. In 1998 Dent became a freelance journalist contributing features and columns in women's magazines including Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire and More. She also worked for the Daily Mirror, visiting many international destinations to investigate off-beat and bizarre stories.
Dent was a television writer for The Guardian 2000-12, with a "World of Lather" soap column in the newspaper's "Guide" supplement from 2001–2010. From 2010–2012, she wrote the regular column "Grace Dent's TV-OD". She moved to The Independent, with a weekly television review column."
Dent has appeared on British television as a presenter and contributor, including The Culture Show (BBC Two), a writer and on-screen contributor to Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe (BBC Four) and during Big Brother 9, featured on Big Brother's Little Brother (E4). In July 2008 she was a guest on Switch with Nick Grimshaw on Radio 1. In October 2008 she appeared on the Piers Morgan series The Dark Side of Fame. In November 2008 she appeared on Radio 4's You and Yours, Ant and Dec: Where did it all go Right? (Five) and I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here Now (ITV2). In December 2008 she was a guest on I Love Celebrity Big Brother (E4). In March 2009 she appeared on Front Row (Radio 4) discussing missing television stars. In May 2009 Dent authored and presented a documentary for Channel 4 entitled Big Brother: A Decade In The Headlines. In July 2009 she appeared on the BB10 series of Big Brother's Little Brother (E4) and was also a guest on Charlie Brooker's You Have Been Watching (C4). In September 2010 she discussed teen literature on Radio 4's Woman's Hour. In October 2010 and March 2012, she was a panel member on The Apprentice: You're Fired on BBC2 and Seven Day Sunday with Chris Addison on Radio 5 Live, and Have I Got News For You (November 2011, BBC1) and Film 2010 (BBC1).
Published works
Dent has written eleven novels. Her first novel, It's a Girl Thing, was published in 2003. She was shortlisted for the 2008 Queen of Teen Prize. Dent's first non-fiction title How To Leave Twitter (My Time as Queen of the Universe and Why This Must Stop) was published in July 2011.
In October 2008, Dent was part of the judging panel for the Young Minds book awards. She was a judge on the 2011 Roald Dahl Funny Prize.
LBD
Her first trilogy of novels for Puffin Books were about Miss Ronnie Ripperton and her two best friends, a.k.a. "Les Bambinos Dangereuses."
- It's a Girl Thing (2003)
- The Great Escape (2004), also published under the title Live and Fabulous!
- Curse of the Mega Boobed Bimbos (2005), also published under the title Friends Forever!
Diary of a Chav
In 2006 the first Diary of a Chav novel Trainers v. Tiaras was released for Hodder Books chronicling the life of Essex teenager Shiraz Bailey Wood, the series was briefly renamed to Shiraz from "The Ibiza Diaries" – "The Fame Diaries")
- Trainers V. Tiaras (2007), (also published under the titles Diary of a Chav and Diva Without a Cause in America)
- Slinging the Bling (2007), (also published under the title Posh and Prejudice in America)
- Too Cool for School (2008)
- The Ibiza Diaries (2008), (later published under the titles Ibiza Nights and Lost in Ibiza)
- The Fame Diaries (2008), (later published under the title Fame and Fortune)
- Keeping It Real (2009), (also published under the title The Real Diaries)
Diary of a Snob
In December 2008 Dent signed a two-book deal with Hodder; "Diary of a Snob" was launched at Hay on Wye Literary Festival in June 2009. The rights were acquired for TV by Nickelodeon in March 2011, but were not developed
- Poor Little Rich Girl (July 2009)
- Money Can't Buy Me Love (September 2010)
- "An Interview with Grace Dent, author of LBD: It's a Girl Thing". Penguin books. Retrieved 22 August 2008.
- "Roald Dahl Funny Prize 2011". Retrieved 28 April 2013.
- "Grace Dent: Biography". Puffin. Retrieved 22 August 2008.