It was when North One took over the host broadcast contract of the Isle of Man TT, the historic motorcycle road racing series, that Neil first met one of its biggest stars – Guy Martin.
Apart from being an outstanding motorbike racer, Guy stood out as an extraordinary personality, famously spending the bulk of his first TV interview explaining how to make the perfect cup of tea.
His passion for how things worked, his love of history and passion for travel, coupled with his unique delivery, made him an obvious choice to front TV shows about the subjects he loved – though he took some persuading.
Neil first took him to the BBC, then a long-term relationship with Channel 4, before his latest collaboration with UKTV.
Throughout the years he has travelled the world and made some amazing TV programmes.
His travelogues include fascinating tours of China, India, Russia, Colombia and Vietnam. His hugely popular series Guy Martin’s Speed saw him break countless records, including fastest man on a bicycle, tractor, hovercraft, gravity sledge, even a soapbox. His current series Proper Jobs sees him working as a trawlerman, firefighter, wildlife warden and even part of a mountain rescue team.
But he’s perhaps best known for the huge specials that drove millions to his shows – including breaking the speed record on a giant Wall of Death – all transmitted live – as well as building a Spitfire, a World War 1 tank, joining the pit crew of a Formula 1 team and re-creating the famous Great Escape motorcycle jump in Bavaria – but this time going one better than Steve McQueen and making it to freedom!
With hundreds of hours of first-class television shows under his belt Guy shows no sign of slowing down.
