Trish Cooke was born in Bradford, West Yorkshire, to parents from Dominica. Cooke developed a love of theatre while still in school and went on to study at Leeds Polytechnic and Ilkley College, where she earned a BA in performing arts. She has since had a successful career as a children's tv presenter as well as writing children's books including the award-winning So Much, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury, and The Grandad Tree, illustrated by Sharon Wilson.