Simon Barnes is an English journalist. He was Chief Sports Writer of The Times until 2014, and also wrote a wildlife opinion column in the Saturday edition of the same national newspaper. Barnes was educated at Emanuel School, and after beginning his journalistic career on local newspapers in Britain, he travelled to Hong Kong, where he wrote for travel magazines and, briefly, the South China Morning Post. After his return to Britain, he became a sports writer for The Times, being promoted in time to the position of Chief Sports Writer. He is also an acknowledged specialist writer on the environment and wildlife. He is the author of 16 books including three novels and the best-selling How to Be a Bad Birdwatcher. His latest book, Birdwatching With your Eyes Closed: An Introduction to Birdsong, was published in 2011. Barnes has also appeared in a number of programmes on BBC Radio 2, including a reading of his book, How to Be a Bad Birdwatcher. Barnes lives in the English county of Norfolk with his family and five horses. He was on The Times team at the 2012 London Olympics, the seventh summer Games that he has covered for the newspaper.