After spending the summer with the National Youth Theatre, Gerald left school at sixteen to work in a bank.
He returned to education a year later, however, eventually completing a BA in English and drama at Goldsmiths College. While there, he emceed at a comedy club, introducing the likes of Vic Reeves, Jo Brand and Julian Clary.
After university, a brief time as a librarian was followed by work as an actor in London and Germany. To add a string to his bow, he took a TEFL course in the mid-1990s. His first job after qualification was in Prague, where he fell under its spell and stayed for sixteen years, teaching English language, English literature and history, mainly in secondary schools.
During this period, he also worked as a translator and studied for a master’s in applied linguistics. He returned to England in 2011.
After a year or two teaching, he turned to journalism and became editor and contributor to a regional magazine for which he interviewed a variety of prominent people, from Sir Sajid Javid MP when he was Home Secretary, to Jasper Carrott.