Background
Simmonds was born in London, England in 1953 and moved with her family to Kenya.
Simmonds was born in London, England in 1953 and moved with her family to Kenya.
She returned to London in 1977 and wrote for various magazines including Time Out and City Limits. In 1985 she moved to Sydney, Australia and wrote for the Sydney Morning Herald, The Bulletin, The Australian and the Sunday Telegraph, where she was the arts editors In 2008 she was appointed editor of Sydney Alumni Magazine, for the University of Sydney.
She has also written several novels and non-fiction books, including one on Princess Diana and one on Doris Day, and continues to write as a freelance journalist from time to time.
In 2006 she founded the Sydney Theatre Reviewers and began working with brothers Damian and Tim Madden to create Stagenoise, now Australia"s leading theatre review site.