was born to Gillian (née Watson) and Bernard Phillips on 23 July 1964, in Bebington, Cheshire. His mother was a Welsh schoolteacher, and his father was an Irish accountant who later became a lecturer at Liverpool Polytechnic. He had a sister and a brother. During his youth, Phillips shared his family's interest in music and outdoor activities, forming a series of bands with his brother and friends.

Phillips won a scholarship to St Anselm's College