Carol Ann Duffy, John A Sampson

Carol Ann Duffy was born in Glasgow. She grew up in Stafford and then attended the University of Liverpool, where she studied Philosophy.

Carol Ann has written for both children and adults, and her poetry has received many awards, including the Signal Prize for Children's Verse, the Whitbread and Forward Prizes, as well as the Lannan Award and the E.M Forster Prize in America. In 2009, Carol Ann became Poet Laureate.

Carol Ann is accompanied by John A Sampson, an Edinburgh based professional musician, composer and actor. A well known and loved performer on the UK music scene for nearly thirty years and a respected actor for almost half as long.