Matt Allwright
Matt Allwright | |
|---|---|
| Born | Matthew Allwright |
| Occupation(s) | Television presenter, journalist |
| Years active | 1996–present |
| Employer(s) | BBC, Channel 5 |
| Television | Presenting: Rogue Traders (2001—) Food Poker (2007) Watchdog (2009—) The One Show (2010—) You've Been Scammed (2011—) Food Inspectors (2012–2014) Fake Britain (2013—2016) Saints and Scroungers (2013—) Keeping Britain Safe: 24/7 (2013–2014) The Housing Enforcers (2014—) The Code (2016—) The Saturday Show (2016—) |
| Website | mattallwright |
Matthew "Matt" Allwright is an English television presenter, journalist, and musician [2]. He is best known for presenting shows such as Watchdog, Rogue Traders, Food Inspectors, The Code and Fake Britain for BBC One as well as The One Show.
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.[3]
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.[4] 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 2004, Allwright hosted Brassed Off Britain, Scambusters and Fat Nation for the BBC. In 2007, he also 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.
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.
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 feature reporter. Since 2011, Allwright has also 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 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.
From 2013, Allwright replaced Dominic Littlewood in presenting BBC consumer rights programmes Fake Britain and Saints and Scroungers, in 2017 Dominic Littlewood returned to presenting duties on Fake Britain and Allwright left the series.
In December 2013, Allwright began co-presenting the BBC One programme Keeping Britain Safe 24/7 with Julia Bradbury.
From 1 September 2014,[5] 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.[5] A second series was shown on the BBC in 2015 of which there were twenty forty-five-minute episodes.[6]
In April 2016, Allwright began presenting the BBC One daytime game show The Code which returned for a second series in March 2017.[7]
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.
Personal life
Allwright is a patron of SANDS (Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society).[8] Allwright is also a patron of Launchpad Reading, a local charity working to prevent homelessness in Reading. He also supports the Dorset-based Grace Secondary School Appeal, bringing education and healthcare to the remote Nuba Mountains of Sudan.[9] Allwright is a supporter of Bracknell Bees ice hockey club and Liverpool Football Club. He is an aficionado 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
- Television
| Year | Title | Channel | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997–2001 | Weekend Watchdog | BBC One | Presenter |
| 2001–2009 | Rogue Traders | Presenter | |
| 2004 | Brassed Off Britain | Presenter | |
| Scambusters | Presenter | ||
| Fat Nation | Presenter | ||
| 2005 | Children In Need | Outside Presenter | |
| 2006 | Just the Two of Us[10] | Participant | |
| 2007 | Food Poker | BBC Two | Presenter |
| 2008 | Rogue Restaurants | BBC One | Presenter |
| 2009— | Watchdog | Co-presenter | |
| 2010— | The One Show | Stand-in presenter | |
| 2010 | The Secret Tourist | Presenter | |
| 2011— | You've Been Scammed | Presenter | |
| 2012 | The Exit List | ITV | Presenter |
| 2012–2014 | Food Inspectors | BBC One | Co-presenter |
| 2013–2015 | Saints and Scroungers | Presenter | |
| 2013—2016 | Fake Britain | Presenter | |
| 2013–2014 | Keeping Britain Safe 24/7 | Co-presenter | |
| 2016— | The Code | Presenter | |
| The Saturday Show | Channel 5 | Co-presenter | |
| 2014—2016 | Housing Enforcers | BBC One | Presenter |
| 2019 | The Empty Housing Scandal[11] | BBC One | Presenter |
- Guest appearances
- The Wright Stuff (2006)
- Pointless Celebrities (26 May 2012, 28 May 2016)
- Hacker Time (30 July 2013)
- Holiday of My Lifetime (3 November 2014)[12]
- The Saturday Show (23 April 2016)
- The Chase: Celebrity Special (30 October 2016)
- Debatable (4 & 5 May 2017)
References
- ^ "findmypast.co.uk".
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcQPznwLewM
- ^ [1] Archived 11 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "How Matt Allwright joined the show, Watchdog at 30, Series 35, Watchdog – BBC One".
- ^ a b Twofour. "The Housing Enforcers".
- ^ Twofour. "BBC One commissions a 20-part series of The Housing Enforcers from Twofour".
- ^ Limited, GipsyMedia. "The Code on BBC 1 South West at 2:15 pm April 18th, 2016".
{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ [2] Archived 19 November 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Grace Secondary School".
- ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/justthetwoofus/candidates/matt_jocelyn.shtml
- ^ https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0c3gkhf
- ^ "Episode 11, Series 1, Holiday of My Lifetime with Len Goodman – BBC One".