Matthew is currently taking a career break and is doing his PhD at Birkbeck, on British lesbian, gay and queer activism of the late 1980s. Before starting his PhD, he completed an MA in Politics and Contemporary History at King’s College London. Prior to King’s, Matthew was the Joint Managing Director of betty, one of the UK’s leading TV production companies; the Editorial Director for Digital at BBC Worldwide; the Controller of UKTV, where he was in charge of the editorial, creative and brand leadership; and Controller of Entertainment for ITV's digital channels. Before moving into broadcasting, he was an award-winning producer, making a wide variety of programmes for ITV, BBC, Sky and Channel 4. In addition to his PhD, he is currently the Chair of The Reading Agency, a national reading charity; a Member of the Advisory Committee, England for Ofcom, the regulator for the communications services; a non-exec director of two production companies, and a trustee for Frantic Assembly and Plaines Plough, two of the country's leading theatre companies.