Born in Cambridge, Mason-John spent her childhood 'in care,' i.e. in foster homes and childcare facilities,[REF] including the Barnardo's Orphanages in Britain with the exception of a short time spent living with her mother in her early teens.
After eighteen months of studying philosophy and politics at Leeds University during the 1980s, Mason-John studied post graduate journalism, earned an MFA in creative writing and diploma in theatrical performance at Sussex University[REF] and The Desmond Jones School.