Alastair Campbell moved to Leicester in 1968, and went to school there until going to Cambridge University in 1975. He graduated four years later with a degree in modern languages. This included a year in France when he had his first "journalism" published, articles on sex in Forum magazine. He also busked around the world with his bagpipes. Finally he decided to become a journalist and trained with the Mirror Group on local papers in the West Country before joining the Mirror itself in 1982.  He left in the mid 80s to work for Eddy Shah's Today but had a nervous breakdown and left to return to the Mirror after convalescence.  He rose to become political editor and the paper's political columnist.

He then worked briefly for Today under new ownership in 1994 before being asked by Tony Blair to be his press secretary when Mr Blair became leader of the Labour Party. He did this for three years, and played a key role helping to create New Labour and return the Party to power. After the 1997 election he became the Prime Minister's Chief Press Secretary and Official Spokesman and then became Director of Communications and Strategy.

His main hobbies are running, bagpipes and following Burnley FC. He took up running three years ago at the instigation of his sons and he has since run the London Marathon, the Great North Run, and the Great Ethiopian Run, all for Leukaemia Research Fund, his best friend having been killed by the disease 11 years ago. Since resigning he has been spending his time making speeches, writing, working for his charity, and continues to advise the Prime Minister informally. He has signed a deal to write a regular sports column for the Times.

In his time in Downing St he was involved in all the major policy issues and international crisis. He has said that in ten years in the media, and a decade in politics, he has seen his respect for the media fall and his respect for polities rise.