The Madonna of Bolton, The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle, Becoming Ted and One Love
Matt Cain (born 27 December 1974) is a British writer and broadcaster. He is best known for the novels The Madonna of Bolton, The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle, Becoming Ted and One Love.
Between 2016 and 2018 Cain worked as editor-in-chief of Attitude, a UK magazine for gay men.[7] Whilst in the role he negotiated world-exclusive covers with Sam Smith, Ricky Martin and James Corden, launched and hosted the #AttitudeHeroes podcast,[8] and ran the Attitude Awards, hosted by Tom Daley, with winners including Prince Harry and Kylie Minogue. He also wrote exclusive reports on his personal experience of HIV/AIDS prevention drug PrEP,[9]homophobia in Russia,[10] and life for gay people in China.
In October 2017 Cain crowdfunded his third novel The Madonna of Bolton (ISBN978-1783526185) via Unbound, after receiving over 30 rejections from publishers, reportedly due to its gay protagonist and theme.[16] The title reached its funding target in seven days, becoming Unbound's fastest-crowdfunded novel.[17] Pledges came in from 28 countries and the project was backed by celebrities including David Walliams, Mark Gatiss, Gok Wan, S. J. Watson, Lisa Jewell and Arlene Phillips.[18] The Madonna of Bolton was published by Unbound in July 2018.[19]
Cain is an ambassador for both Manchester Pride and the Albert Kennedy Trust, a national youth LGBT+ homelessness charity.[20] He's also a patron of LGBT History Month.[21] In 2021 he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Bolton.[22]
His novel The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle (ISBN978-1472275059) was published by Headline Review in May 2021.[23] In 2021 he presented the flagship discussion show Sunday Roast on Virgin Radio Pride,[24] returned to the station in 2022 to present Matt Cain Meets,[25] and again in 2023 with his husband to present Matt & Harry.[26]
Becoming Ted (ISBN978-1472291875), was published by Headline Review in January 2023. One Love was published in January 2024.[27] His short novel Game On (ISBN978-1035409730) was published as a Quick Read and is one of the official titles of World Book Night 2024.[28]
Cain now lives in London with his husband,[29] Harry, and their cat, Nelly.