Homes Under the Hammer's Martin Roberts' life after health scare
The Warrington-born TV star underwent life-saving surgery13:14, 26 Jul 2026Martin Roberts has been a familiar face on our TV screens for many years, best known for fronting the popular daytime TV show Homes. . .
The Warrington-born TV star underwent life-saving surgery13:14, 26 Jul 2026Martin Roberts has been a familiar face on our TV screens for many years, best known for fronting the popular daytime TV show Homes Under the Hammer. Martin, who was born in Warrington, established a successful career in showbiz as he presents the programme alongside regular hosts Dion Dublin and Martel Maxwell. Born in 1963, Martin grew up in Stockton Health. He began his career in the late 1980s working for BBC Radio Manchester. However, his life almost took a different turn when he made the decision to study electronic engineering. He attended the University of Bradford from 1983 until 1986. During his studies, Martin dipped into his creative side as he was a DJ on the university radio station. In the 1990s, he started working as aproperty developer and hasn't looked back. He has since starred on severalother BBC programmes, including Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is, How to Survive the Property Crisis as well as ITV's Wish You Were Here. In 2003, he began hiscareer on Homes Under the Hammer, both writing and presenting the show. He first presented the property programme with Lucy Alexander, who left in 2016. Martin has been a mainstay presenter for over two decades, establishing himselfas a core name in television. In 2016, his fanbase broadened following his appearance on I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here. He left the jungle after 15 days, finishing in sixth place. The 63-year-old has also starred on Ready Steady Cook, Pointless, Holes in the Wall and Celebrity Masterchef. While Martin is a popular face on primetime television, what do we know about his life away from the screen?After growing up in the north west,Martin now lives in Paulton, near Bath in Somerset with his family. The BBC star tied the knot with his partner Kirsty in 2010 and the couple share two children, a daughter named Megan and a son named Scott. Content cannot be displayed without consentMartin keeps his private life relatively out of the limelight, although he was open with fans when he suffered a worrying health scare. In April 2022, the presenter was experiencing chest pains and was rushed to hospital. He later discovered fluid was "strangling" his heart and that he had "hours to live". Martin has since spoken about the experience, where he underwent life-saving emergency surgery. Martin was diagnosed with pericardial effusion, which is an accumulation of fluid around the heart that can lead to organ failure. As of 2024, he was still attending regular medical check-ups and said discussing his experience was still emotionally challenging. Speaking to The Mirror, Martin said: "I can't understate the mental after-effects of what happened to me. The physical stuff you get over, but it's the overriding thought it could have all ended. Everything you tried to do, and your family, you realise it could all be gone. I was told I needed to slow down and I've gone the other way. "Hopefully I've got many years but you never know. That whole thing that happened to me makes you realise how thin a thread we dangle from. But you can't go through life living in that fear. "Since his health scare, Martin has provided regular updates to his followers afterhe bought a pub in Wales. He purchased The Hendrewen Hotel and Pub, located in Blaencwm at the top of the Rhondda Valley in South Wales. He shared the emotional challenges of renovating the property, all while being away from his family. Speaking to The Express, Martin said: "The family are really supportive, but the kids are at school so we have to keep the family boat sailing. "As anyone with a [young] family will know it's taking them to dinner or to do after-school stuff and then getting them to school on time, then being with their friends that they've got at school. I think there's a period when that has to take priority and it doesn't. "He added: "Luckily, my wife does it. She keeps on top of all of that so it does enable me to go off and carry on with my madcap project, which actually isn't madcap. I'm doing it for all the right reasons. And I'm enjoying it. Article continues below"As tiring and heartbreaking at times as it is, you know, it's something I'm really, really enjoying and proud of. "Martin is still in the process of renovating the property, which is taking "longer than expected" according to Wales Online. Homes Under the Hammer airs on BBC One and iPlayer