Dent was born in Carlisle, Cumberland and studied English Literature at Stirling University. While at university she was given her first break, working for the style magazine Cosmopolitan. After graduating she was employed as an editorial assistant at Marie Claire in London. In 1998 Grace became a freelance journalist with regular features and columns in women's magazines including Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire and More. She worked for the tabloid newspaper the Daily Mirror, visiting many international destinations to investigate off-beat and surreal stories. Dent is a television critic for the broadsheet newspaper, The Guardian, her television column "World of Lather" has appeared in The Guardian Guide since 2001.

Dent has appeared numerous times on British television as a presenter and commentator. She has presented several films for The Culture Show (BBC Two) and was a writer and on-screen contributor to Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe (BBC Four). During Big Brother 9, Dent was the regular critic on Big Brother's Little Brother (E4). In July 2008 she was a guest on Switch with Nick Grimshaw on Radio One. In October 2008 she appeared on the Piers Morgan series The Dark Side of Fame. In November 2008 she appeared on Radio 4's You and Yours, Ant and Dec: Where did it all go Right? (Five) and I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here Now (ITV2). In December 2008 she was a guest on I Love Celebrity Big Brother (E4). In March 2009 she appeared on Front Row (Radio 4) discussing missing television stars. In May 2009 Dent authored and presented a documentary for Channel 4 entitled Big Brother: A Decade In The Headlines. In July 2009 she appeared on the BB10 series of Big Brother's Little Brother (E4) and was also a guest on Charlie Brooker's You Have Been Watching (C4).

Dent is a bestselling author and has written ten novels to date, with the eleventh due in the summer of 2010. Her first novel, It's a Girl Thing, was published in 2003. She was shortlisted for the 2008 Queen of Teen Prize. In October 2008, Grace Dent was part of the judging panel for the Young Minds book awards.

LBD

Her first trilogy of novels for Puffin Books focused on Miss Ronnie Ripperton and her two best friends, a.k.a "Les Bambinos Dangereuses."

1. It's a Girl Thing (2003)
2. The Great Escape (2004), also published under the title Live and Fabulous!
3. Curse of the Mega Boobed Bimbos (2005), also published under the title Friends Forever!

Diary of a Chav

In 2006 the first Diary of a Chav novel Trainers v. Tiaras was released for Hodder Books chronicling the life of Essex teenager Shiraz Bailey Wood. These books have sold 300,000+ copies in the UK.

1. Trainers v. Tiaras (2007), also published under the titles Diary of a Chav and Diva Without a Cause
2. Slinging the Bling (2007), also published under the title Posh and Prejudice
3. Too Cool for School (2008)
4. The Ibiza Diaries (2008)
5. The Fame Diaries (2008)
6. Keeping It Real (2009)

Diary of a Snob

In December 2008 Dent signed a two-book deal with Hodder to write about Hampstead It-girl Poppet Zanzibar Montague-Jones. The first book was launched to the public with an event at Hay on Wye Literary Festival in June 2009.

1. Poor Little Rich Girl (July 2009)
2. Money Can't Buy Me Love (September 2010) (originally proposed with the title Slumming It)