Matt Allwright

Early life

Allwright was educated at two independent schools in Berkshire: at Dolphin School in Hurst (near Reading) and Reading Blue Coat School in Sonning, where he was Head Boy, followed by the University of Manchester, where he gained a degree in English.

Career

In 1997, Allwright got his big break as a feature reporter on Watchdog, after contacting the programme to complain about his mother's faulty washing machine. The BBC saw potential and requested Allwright present the report himself.

This led to a regular reporting slot on the show, which is where Allwright developed his laidback and humorous style, many of his early Watchdog stints also guest-starred his actual mother, as a consumer commentator.

In 2001, Allwright also began presenting another programme; Rogue Traders with Dan Penteado. The show was a 30-minute undercover consumer programme in which Allwright and Penteado investigated and confronted rogue tradesmen.

In 2009, Rogue Traders was merged with Watchdog, with Rogue Traders split into feature segments and shown throughout. Allwright also became co-host on Watchdog.

In 2004, Allwright has hosted Brassed Off Britain, Scambusters and Fat Nation for the BBC. In 2007, he presented Food Poker for BBC Two.

In 2008, Allwright and former Watchdog presenter Anita Rani hosted a short-lived spin-off from Rogue Traders, called Rogue Restaurants.

Since 2010, Allwright has guest hosted BBC One's The One Show, where he fills in for Matt Baker on numerous occasions, as well as being a regular reporter. Since 2011, Allwright has hosted the BBC show You've Been Scammed.

In 2012, Allwright presented ITV's primetime game show The Exit List for one series. Allwright also began co-hosting the BBC One programme Food Inspectors with Chris Hollins.

In 2012, Rogue Traders co-presenter Dan Penteado was dropped by the BBC following his arrest for fraud. Allwright continued to present the show, in a solo capacity.

In 2013, Allwright replaced Dominic Littlewood in presenting BBC consumer rights programmes Fake Britain and Saints and Scroungers. In December 2013, Allwright began co-presenting the BBC One programme Keeping Britain Safe 24/7 with Julia Bradbury.

From 1 September 2014, Allwright presented The Housing Enforcers, a daytime programme for BBC One. There were ten forty-five-minute episodes showing each week day for a run of two weeks. A second series was shown on the BBC in 2015 of which there were twenty forty-five-minute episodes.

In April 2016, Allwright began presenting the BBC One daytime game show The Code which returned for a second series in March 2017.

On 4 June 2016, Allwright guest presented an episode of The Saturday Show on Channel 5 alongside Gaby Roslin. He later became a permanent co-presenter after Matt Barbet left the show. Since 9 July 2016, he has presented the show alongside Gaby Roslin.

In 2017, Allwright began hosting The Code for BBC One.

Personal life

Allwright is a patron of SANDS (Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society). He also supports the Dorset-based Grace Secondary School Appeal, bringing education and healthcare to the remote Nuba Mountains of Sudan. Allwright is a supporter of Bracknell Bees ice hockey club and Liverpool Football Club. He is an afficianado of country music and plays guitar, lap and pedal steel guitars, keyboards, and sings. He writes a regular blog about his experiences learning to play the pedal steel guitar.

Filmography