Brandreth was born in Middlesex Hospital in London on 18 July 1978.[2] Her father is the broadcaster Gyles Brandreth, who served as a Conservative MP for City of Chester from 1992 to 1997.[3] She went to Godolphin and Latymer Girls' School[4] in London and studied economics at University College London. She worked from 2003 to 2013 as an economic adviser to Defra.[5]