Clive Barker Biography: Age, Partner, Children, Parents, Height, Net Worth, Books, Awards, Twitter

Clive Barker is a British author, filmmaker, visual artist, and playwright renowned for his groundbreaking contributions to horror and dark fantasy genres.

He first gained international acclaim in the 1980s with his Books of Blood short story collections, which established him as a master of visceral, imaginative storytelling.

Quick Facts

• Full Name: Clive Barker
• Born: October 5, 1952
• Age: 73 years old
• Birthplace: Liverpool, England, UK
• Nationality: British
• Ethnicity: White British
• Occupation: Novelist, filmmaker, screenwriter, playwright, visual artist
• Height: 1.80 m
• Religion: Christianity
• Parents: Leonard Barker and Joan Ruby Barker
• Siblings: 1
• Spouse: None
• Girlfriends: John Gregson (ex); David Armstrong (ex)
• Children: Nicole
• Relationship: Single
• Net Worth: $12 million

Early Life and Education

Clive Barker was born on October 5, 1952, in Liverpool, England. His parents were Leonard Barker, who worked as a personnel director for an industrial relations firm, and Joan Ruby Barker, a painter and school welfare officer. He has one younger brother.

Barker attended Dovedale Primary School and Quarry Bank High School in Liverpool before studying English and Philosophy at the University of Liverpool.

His ethnicity is White British, with some Irish and Italian ancestry on his family sides, and he is not affiliated to Christianity.

Career

Clive Barker began his career in the theater and as a writer in London after university, forming a small theater company and creating plays while working various jobs.

He struggled initially but broke through in the mid-1980s when he published the Books of Blood series six volumes of horror short stories that caught the attention of critics and readers for their originality and intensity, quickly establishing him as a major new voice in horror literature.

His career expanded rapidly as he transitioned into novels such as The Damnation Game, Weaveworld, and The Great and Secret Show, while also moving into filmmaking.

He wrote and directed the iconic Hellraiser (1987), adapted from his novella The Hellbound Heart, and contributed to projects like Nightbreed and the Candyman series (as writer and producer).

Barker’s work has had a lasting impact on horror and dark fantasy, inspiring countless creators through his fusion of the grotesque, the fantastical, and profound themes of desire, transformation, and otherness, while his paintings and illustrated books like the Abarat series further cemented his legacy as a multimedia visionary.

Awards and Nominations

• British Fantasy Award (multiple wins, including for Hellraiser)
• World Fantasy Award (nominations and wins)
• Locus Award (multiple)
• Bram Stoker Award nominations (including for The Damnation Game)
• Saturn Award nominations (Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films)
• Lifetime Achievement Award, Bram Stoker Awards (2012)
• Inkpot Award (1991)

Social Media

• Instagram Handle: @realclivebarker
• Facebook Handle: @officialclivebarker
• Twitter Handle: @RealCliveBarker

Personal Life

Clive Barker, 73 years old and 5′ 10″ ft tall, is openly gay and has had notable long-term relationships, including with John Gregson (1975–1986) and photographer David Armstrong (1996–2009), whom he referred to as his husband in writings. He has a stepdaughter, Nicole, from Armstrong’s previous relationship.

Net Worth

Clive Barker has an estimated net worth of $12 million.

His wealth primarily stems from book sales and royalties, film adaptations and production involvement, original screenplays, visual art sales, and related merchandising ventures.

Filmography

• Hellraiser (1987) – Writer, Director
• Nightbreed (1990) – Writer, Director
• Candyman (1992) – Writer (based on his story “The Forbidden”)
• Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988) – Executive Producer, based on his work
• Lord of Illusions (1995) – Writer, Director