Lisa Jewell was born on 19th July 1968 in Middlesex Hospital in London's West End. Her father Anthony is a Textile Agent and her mother Kay is a secretary. She has two younger sisters, Sacha and Tanya. She was brought up in a strange part of North London called Totteridge, known to some as the Beverly Hills of London, where her neighbours included such luminaries as Micky Most, Des O'Connor and Patti Boulay.

Lisa now lives in Swiss Cottage with her husband and daughter.