Years active 1982-present Role Antique dealer Agent Capel & Land | Name Paul Martin | |
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Alma mater Falmouth College of Arts Spouse Charlotte Godfrey (m. 2007) Similar People Philip Serrell, Anita Manning, David Barby, Mark Stacey, Kate Bliss | ||
Paul Martin (born 5 January 1959) is an antiques dealer and professional drummer, best known for being the presenter of various BBC antiques programmes including Flog It!, Trust Me, I'm a Dealer and Paul Martin's Handmade Revolution.
Contents
Paul Martin Starting up the Drumathon Auction in our Studio
Biography
Born in Teddington, after his family moved to Cornwall he was educated at Falmouth Grammar School, and then studied art and woodwork at Falmouth College of Arts. Following graduation, he was employed at Pinewood Studios, spending two years as a scenic painter on film sets, working first on Santa Claus: The Movie with Dudley Moore.
He then developed a parallel career, as both an antiques trader and dealer, as well as a professional drummer. Martin worked with bands such as Average White Band, The Quireboys and Dogs D'Amour in the 1990s. To this day, he can be seen playing in local jazz and blues bands around Wiltshire.
From the age of 25, he owned a pitch on London's famous Portobello Road. He also worked as an antiques props stylist for magazines like Marie Claire and New Woman, whilst also undertaking larger projects by designing antique sets for television shoots for BBC One's The Clothes Show and Granada TV. Most recently he ran the shop The Table Gallery in Marlborough, Wiltshire, specialising in 17th and 18th century Welsh and English oak furniture and Victorian lavatories.
Martin was discovered by a team from BBC Bristol when he was interviewed about his passion for oak furniture. He was then signed up to present Flog It!, which has led to a series of television shows and spin-off books.
In 2014, he began hosting I Never Knew That About Britain for the ITV network.
He also presented the BBC Countryfile spin-off Summer Diaries in 2016.
Personal life
Martin married BBC production co-ordinator Charlotte Godfrey in September 2007. The couple live in the village of Seend, Wiltshire, with their two children: son Dylan William Martin, born in November 2009; daughter Meredith Elizabeth Martin, born in October 2011.