Isle of Man TT star Guy Martin set to appear on primetime BBC TV
Friday 18 February 2011
TT
Ever-popular Isle of Man TT star Guy Martin is about to become a prime time feature on BBC1 television!
With just weeks to go before the start of the 2011 Isle of Man TT fuelled by Monster Energy – which gets under way on May 30 – one of the event’s best-known names is to be presented to a whole new audience.
Already famous among TT fans for his fast-talking Lincolnshire brogue, passion for tinkering with anything mechanical and dedication to racing, as well as a love of a good brew, Guy’s unique personality is set to be unleashed on primetime BBC TV.
It has been known for several months that the Kirmington ace was working on a series with North One Television – which produces coverage of the TT.
It has been confirmed the first programme in the series will be broadcast on BBC1 at 7.30pm on March 2.
The Boat That Guy Built is a six-part series which follows Guy and his best mate Mark ‘Mave’ Davies as they attempt to fit out a narrow boat using the best British innovations from the Industrial Revolution.
Each half-hour episode will see the 29-year-old trying to complete a mission using only his homemade version of historical gadgets, from blast furnaces to steam engines.
Along the way we see how he copes with using only historical methods to carry out every day tasks, from taking a shower to making beans on toast – and, inevitably, brewing up the perfect mug of tea!
Guy is one of the TT’s most popular riders, his easy-going style and passionate determination to win on the Mountain course earning him thousands of fans around the world.
Despite his best efforts, Guy is still yet to take his maiden win at the TT – but 2011 could finally be his year. He has signed to one of the event’s most successful teams – Relentless Suzuki by TAS Racing – and he must start as a favourite for victory in at least one of the five solo races.
After several strong races, Guy’s 2010 TT ended with a fiery 170mph crash during the blue-riband Senior Race. Fortunately, he suffered relatively minor injuries – in fact he was back road racing by the Ulster Grand Prix just weeks later – and wasn’t put off his chief aim of finally taking to the top step of the podium at the TT.
North One Television’s CEO Neil Duncanson said:
“We first met Guy in 2009 when we became involved with the TT Races and quickly realised that we had someone that was a real character. We had loads of fun filming with Guy and I’m sure that the show will appeal to a wide range of people and he’ll attract a whole new group of fans.”
Isle of Man Economic Development Minister Allan Bell added:
“This series will give the TT Races a real boost in terms of profile and is a great opportunity for us to further grow the event’s appeal and generate more visitors to the Isle of Man and the TT Races.”