Guy Bellamy was born in Bristol but he grew up in Surrey where, from 1948 to 1952, he was a pupil at Farnham Grammar School. On leaving school he joined the RAF for two years' National Service. After working as a journalist on local newspapers in Surrey and Hampshire he went to work in Fleet Street becoming, at the age of 24, the youngest sub-editor on the Daily Express. From there he moved to The Sun, but in 1977 his novel, The Secret Lemonade Drinker was accepted by Secker and Warburg and Guy left Fleet Street to concentrate on writing novels.