Higson was himself educated at Sevenoaks School where he was a contemporary of Jonathan Evans, current Director General of MI5. In 2004, it was announced that Higson would pen a series of James Bond novels, aimed at younger readers and concentrating on the character's school-days at Eton. He published four novels through the early to mid 1990s which take a slightly dystopian look at everyday life and have a considerably more adult tone than his other work, with characters on the margins of society finding themselves spiraling out of control, leading him to be described by Time Out as 'The missing link between Dick Emery and Brett Easton Ellis' He is currently starring in Tittybangbang series 3 on BBC Three and has appeared as a panellist on QI. Subsequent television work has included writing and starring in BBC Three's Fast Show spin-off sitcom Swiss Toni. He worked as producer, writer, director and occasional guest star on Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) from 2000 to 2001. He worked with Whitehouse on the radio comedy Down the Line and is to work with him again on a television project, designed to be a spoof of celebrity travel programmes. He came to public attention as one of the main writers and performers of the BBC Two sketch show The Fast Show (1994-2000). Higson then became a plasterer before he turned to writing for Harry Enfield with Paul Whitehouse and performing comedy.

They released two singles on the Specials' 2-Tone label. Higson, Cummings and Edwards formed the band The Higsons of which Higson was the lead singer from 1980 to 1986.

Higson was educated at Sevenoaks School and at the University of East Anglia (where his brother has taught since 1986 and is now a professor of film studies) where he met Paul Whitehouse, David Cummings and Terry Edwards.

SilverFin by Charlie Higson