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The Man HimselfMatthew Alexander Bowen was born on the 12th April 1985. Born and bred in South Woodham Ferrers he's an Essex Boy and proud of it! He attended Woodville Primary School from January 1990 where he decided his first love was acting. He had many lead roles in school plays incluing a narrator in Christopher Columbus and Michael Aspro in This Is Your Life Santa Clause Matt joined the Whitehall Stage School in 1995 where he was bitten quite badly by the acting bug. Later that same year he made his first TV appearence on The Bill as an extra in the episode "Starting Young." He was supposed to skateboard round a corner, but not being an expert on the board, and running over PC Mike Jarvis on a rehearsal to boot, he was asked just to carry it!! Moving On In September 1996 he started at the William De Ferrers Secondary School, continuing with his drama at the same time. In 1998 Matt followed his drama teacher out of Whitehall and onto the Essex Academy of Dramatic Arts where he made a second appearence in The Bill again as an extra in the episode "Neighbours." This time he was kept away from all things sporty and was asked to look at a car that had been smashed up. Matt continued to succeed in his drama taking a Distinction in Lamda Mime Grade 3 (Feb 2000), and Honours in Acting Grade 4 (June 96) as well was winning The Norman Kelly Memorial Cup for Solo Acting (10 - 12 years) and Sight Reading (12 - 14 years) at the 1997 Leigh on Sea Music Festival. TV Aspirations In 1998 Matt applied to be a presenter on DiGGiT, Disney's weekend morning show. He got through to the final 55, norrowly missing out on a place in the top 16. In 1999, he made another appearence as an extra in The Bill, this time episode "Square Peg, Round Hole." He was asked to kick a football - memo to all producers.....Matt has no ball control and all of his scenes were cut, bar one were he was spotted as a Navy Blue Blob in the Background! Things were changing for Matt. He was beginning to focus on Radio with work at Hospital Radio Chelmsford and despite still having a love for acting, Matt chose to leave EADA in July 2000. Post Education Following impressive results on his GCSE's, Matt went to the South East Essex College to do his A-Level's. On completing them he continued with his quest to make it in radio, as well as working on a more permanent basis in the Box Office of the Civic Theatre. In December 2003, Matt took up the temporary job of Followspotting the Civic's Panto, Dick Whittington. It involved sitting right up in the gods running a spotlight across the stage, as well helping with the scene changes at half time and full time. Straight after that he supplemented his Box Office wages with work in the marketing department of the theatre who needed a hand until a vacancy was filled. Despite applying for that vacancy, Matt didn't get the job, but moved next door into the Cramphorn Theatre where he learnt how to show a film for their cinema. Despite learning exactly how it all works, Matt never got around to showing a film as he was called in to be the Duty Manager at the Chancellor Hall (another venue covered by the Civic Theatre). Twice a week, Matt would see in the evening dance classes and take their money. He was also around for courses that were held in hall. The best bit about it was that you didn't have to do anything. Being paid £6 for writing a novel on your computer wasn't too bad really!!! In October 2004, Matt left the Civic Theatre and Chancellor Hall to work at Dream, and the rest can be found here! Outside Work A big kid at heart, Matt's main hobby is his Buster website. He read the comic from 1992 until it's demise in 2000 and the lack of websites about Buster prompted Matt to do something about it. Other then that he loves playing with his latest toy - a mini! Matt bought the Metallic Blue Mini One over Easter 2005 and is still thrilled with it. He's also a family man and loves seeing his 4 nephews, and cousins. A family social normally involves kids aged 12 and under attacking him and beating him to a pulp, but it's what being an Uncle's about. Matt moved out of South Woodham Ferrers (voted 33rd in the original book of Crap Towns) in February 2007 to live in Colchester. He moved from Colchester to Earby on the Yorks/Lancs border when he took the job with Laser broadcasting. |
