John Simpson was born on August 9, 1944 in Cleveleys, Lancashire, England as John Cody Fidler-Simpson. He is a director and writer, known for John Simpson: Stories from the Front Line (2015), University Challenge: The Story So Far (2006) and 40 Years of University Challenge (2002). He has been married to Adele Kruger since 1996. They have one child. He was previously married to Diane Jean Petteys.