Robert Carter was brought up in the Midlands and later on the shores of the Irish Sea. He was educated in Britain, Australia and the United States, then worked for some years in the Middle East and remote parts of Africa, before joining the BBC in London in 1982. His interests have included astronomy, pole-arm fighting, canals, collecting armour, steam engines, composing music and enjoying the English countryside, and he has always maintained a keen interest in history. He lives in West London.
