About Paul
Best known for presenting BBC2’s Flog It, Paul has an obvious love for antiques – they are his passion, his hobby and his job. As Paul says, “It’s my oxygen, I live and breathe them.” Paul is also a keen musician and artist with a love of the countryside and all animals. He is an active supporter of many charities.
Born in Surrey and brought up in Falmouth, Cornwall, Paul spent his early years surrounded by the rural countryside and rugged Cornish coastline. He still finds the country way of life hugely important to balance his hectic work schedule which involves him travelling the length and breadth of Britain making 60 shows per year.
His student life at Falmouth College gave him a hunger for art & woodwork. The influence from his mother’s love of 60s and 70s ‘Biba’ and Mary Quant and her skill as a technical illustrator made sure he went into the arts. His father, affectionately known as ‘the brains of the family’, taught in Higher Education.
Drumming up trade
By his mid-twenties Paul decided to combine two great loves in his life, music and antiques, and he took a stall in London’s Portobello Market at the same time as touring as a drummer with bands including the Average White Band.
Never one to stand still for long, Paul was constantly on the road collecting antiques, playing gigs and supporting bands, for a while he also shared an antiques shop in Fulham and it’s there that Paul developed his passion for oak furniture.
Spare time
In his spare time Paul spends his time looking after his small holding with his wife and is in the midst of lovingly restoring his 19th century cottage back to its former glory in Wiltshire. Much time is also spent looking after his animals; with walking the dogs and riding the horses there is only just enough time to visit the odd National Trust property and Stately home, as well as galleries and of course, auctions.
Bluebelle
Without doubt one of his greatest loves and his constant companion is ‘Bluebelle’ – a seven-year old German Shepherd. Bluebelle only appears occasionally on Flog It these days as she now has her companion, Diesel, the Basset Hound. However, when on the road the film crew spoil her as Paul is a vegetarian and consequently Bluebelle doesn’t get any meaty tit-bits at home!
Antiques
Paul’s love of antiques is obvious to all who meet him or watch him presenting. He is particularly passionate about early Georgian furniture and its characteristics of mahogany, oak and walnut, the hues, grain structure and texture. This period is about good simple lines that are architecturally correct with fine detail and social history. Put that all together and you have a dynamic piece of furniture that you just have to stand back and admire – a functional sculpture.
Up to date
Paul will be spending the next year filming around Britain for Flog It!, a TV show about antiques which is currently in its sixth year. Showing weekdays 3.45-4.30pm on BBC2, it is on of the most popular daytime show in BBC2’s 40 year history. Repeats are shown on UK Style channel and BBC Digital broadcasts the series worldwide. With seven million viewers in South Africa alone, it really is global! The BBC2 programme, The People's Museum, which Paul presented last year has now been brought by BBC Worldwide so will be popping up across the world too.
Paul has just published his first book, "Paul Martin's Britain" and also has a number of exciting projects coming up over the next year and again will be seen as a panellist on BBC's "Through the Keyhole."
Charities
Paul strongly supports charities supporting animal welfare and wildlife. He is patron of the following charties: Animals Asia and Friends of the Strays of Greece.
