No child should be unable to sleep, worrying who is going to beat you up the next day...
Homes Under The Hammer’s Martin Roberts talks to LUKE RIX-STANDING about lockdowns and his new children’s book to help support the NSPCC
MARTIN ROBERTS has spent 17 years at the helm of Homes Under The Hammer, charming viewers and guest homeowners alike with his astute insight, genial manner and catchphrase, ‘It’s unusual, but I like it’.
He’s appeared as a property expert on various shows down the years, and others may know him from his 2016 turn on I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!
The presenter, 57, also writes children’s books, most notably the Villes series (Boredsville, Coldsville, Windyville...). The latest, Sadsville, written in support of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), sets out to talk to children on their own level about emotions – and when the pandemic hit, Martin donated copies to every primary school in the UK.
Here, he talks to us about the story, parenting during the pandemic, and communicating with children about serious topics...
Tell us the story behind your latest book Sadsville...
I’VE been a supporter of the NSPCC since childhood, as my mum volunteered for them, and I’ve done a lot of charity projects for them. I thought there might be a way to write a book – nothing too emotional or heavyweight – that starts a conversation about children’s wellbeing at the age when they’re starting to come to terms with their emotions.
“In Sadsville, everyone is sad, but like all the lands [in the series] the reason is silly and the book is filled with whimsical pictures. At the back, there’s a section outlining what to do if you feel sad, and how to separate ‘good sad’, which is sadness that is normal in life, from ‘bad sad’ that comes from being bullied, neglected or abused.
Do you think these issues require a very light touch?
FOR kids to open up, it has to seem informal. You can’t just say, ‘Right, today we’re going to talk about abuse’. Instead if you ask, ‘Why might people be sad?’, and if they say, ‘Maybe their mummy doesn’t give them enough breakfast’, you can make a mental note.
We recently released a version read by 22 different celebrities, ranging from David Hasselhoff to Alexander Armstrong, all held together by Basil Brush. Children can sit in class and be engaged by a fun story read by Basil Brush, which leads into a proper conversation.
Has writing the book changed your own parenting?
YEAH, I think so. We have a lot more grown-up conversations with the kids than we might otherwise have done, and it makes you appreciate what you’ve got.
My children have a pretty nice life, and when I do readings we generally go to schools in deprived areas with a history of children in care.
I’m happy my children have what they do, and if I can bring a bit of that to others, that would be the thing I’m most proud of in my career.
Even pre-pandemic, children’s mental health was a concern. Why do you think that is?
SOME of the things my kids have to deal with are issues my generation never had to worry about. I think a lot of it is down to social media, and the fact they’re forced to develop a lot quicker emotionally.
Was your own childhood an inspiration for the project?
I WAS badly bullied for four of five years at a fairly nice school, and I didn’t tell my parents because I was an only child and they would have been really upset about it. I shouldered it myself because Childline didn’t exist, and I didn’t feel I had anyone to turn to.
At that age, you do think, ‘This is how it is’, and only when you look back do you think, ‘No, it shouldn’t have been like that’. You should not be unable to sleep at night worrying about who’s going to beat you up the next day.
How have you been finding the lockdowns?
LIKE most people, my world came crashing down. Homes Under The Hammer stopped filming in March. I do property training courses, and they stopped. We were also renting holiday homes, and that all stopped. Financially, it was tough, because I’m self-employed.
I tried very hard to fill my time because I’m a creative person and need to keep things moving, so I worked very hard on my Youtube channel. I built stuff with my kids and gave property buying advice – all filmed in my back garden.
Has DIY been a big part of your lockdowns?
YES. First it was the stuff you never get round to, like the dripping tap, then more elaborate projects. I’m a big shed fan – you can never have enough sheds. My wife was baffled!
You must be proud of your show Homes Under The Hammer
REALLY proud – it’s such a loved show, and I’m always so touched by the nice things people say about it.
A couple of years ago, we heard that when she’s in this country, Meryl Streep likes watching it, then in an interview at a junket we discovered Mark Wahlberg was a fan, and last week Sir Paul Mccartney revealed he watches it in the gym. That was so cool!