Rex Ogle was born and raised mostly in Texas. He received the 2020 YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award for his memoir Free Lunch. A former children's book editor in New York City, Rex now lives in Los Angeles with his partner.

Michael Spicer is a comedy writer, actor, director and the creator of the internet sensation The Room Next Door. His sketches and short films on YouTube and Twitter have resulted in international media attention, with his secret political adviser making appearances on The Late Late Show in the US.

The story of Spicer's life before his overnight success is now a Radio 4 show, titled Before Next Door. He has written and performed in a variety of online comedy projects for Channel 4, Hat Trick and Comedy Central and is a regular on The Mash Report on BBC Two.