TWO years ago, Martin Roberts was fighting for his life after suffering heart failure aged 58.
The presenter of Homes Under The Hammer lay in hospital desperate for company as he was forced to face his own mortality.
So he reached out on social media in a bid to find comfort.
And he believes the reaction from fans was his saviour, after doctors told him he was hours from death.
“Absolute strangers put their arms around me and embraced me at one of the lowest points in my life,” he told The Sun through tears.
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“It helped save me in many ways, as hearing other people’s stories helped to make sense of what was happening to me.
“They shared how they got through it and what they found helped.
“It made a humongous difference. It was just extraordinary that people who I didn’t know were making time to write and be supportive.”
During his ordeal, Martin, now 60, posted a video from his hospital room updating fans and joked about watching Homes Under The Hammer in an unexpected location.
The telly favourite had mistaken his chest pains for long Covid and, by the time he was taken to hospital in April 2022, he had developed a deadly pericardial effusion.
The condition is a build-up of fluid in the structure around the heart which required surgery to be relieved.
Otherwise, the pressure it causes could have stopped his heart from pumping normally.
Having the op meant Martin had to stay in hospital away from his wife, Kirsty, and children Megan, 14, and Scott, 16.
But now he is determined not to waste his second chance at life.
Instead of slowing down, as medics ordered, Martin has decided to do as much as he can to help others — in a bid to pay for the love he has received in his times of need.
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He turned to social media again last year following the death of his father Norman, 90, which he struggled to process despite finding some comfort in the fact his dad died peacefully at home.
Again, he was blown away by the kindness of strangers, with thousands writing messages of condolence and support.
“Whenever people show kindness to others in this life it brings out the best in others, and I want to pay forward the love I received from them,” Martin said.
‘Live our dreams’
“Now I’ve got my second chance, I want to be that to others.
“I want to carry that with me and do what I can do and, if it changes someone’s life in the process, that’s great.”
Martin’s new-found zest for life saw him impulsively buy the derelict Hendrewen Hotel and pub in the Rhondda Valley last year.
He didn’t even consult Kirsty before putting in an offer, despite it being some two hours from their family home in Paulton, Somerset.
The old property needs extensive restoration to get it up and running, and Martin has chosen to work with local disadvantaged kids to teach them construction skills as they get stuck in to the job.
He said: “I’m now more motivated and desperate to get all the things done that I possibly can.
“I have no idea how much longer I’ve got but, whatever it is, I want to make a difference to people. If I accidentally speed up my demise in the process, it’s a risk I’m willing to take. I’ve dealt with nearly dying, what could be harder than that?”
Four schools are sending eight kids a week to work on Martin’s hotel.
They are a mix of pupils who are struggling to fit in or fancied doing something practical.
And the telly regular has already seen a huge change in the 15 to 17-year-olds. He said: “I’ve had parents ringing asking what we’ve done to their child because they don’t recognise them any more.
“Simply just being given a chance is seeing them become more engaged and lively, and their families are seeing that.
“I’ve had one kid stop using drugs and another realise that he’s not stupid because he can’t do algebra or geography. Seeing the positive change they’re getting from working on the hotel is what is really driving me. It shows what kindness can do.”
The teens are close in age to Martin’s own children, who he hopes to draft in to help with the renovations during school holidays.
“It’s scary bananas how much they’ve grown up,” he said of his own children.
“It seems like yesterday they were riding around my kitchen on a tricycle. I just want to make sure they know that we’ll support whatever they want to do. Be it a surf instructor or whatever else, that’s fine.
“I just want them to be happy. Life is precious and we should live our dreams. That’s something I realised after my scare. You have to do what makes you happy.” Martin recognises his kids have grown up in different circumstances to the lads working at the hotel, but he is proud to be able to give them an opportunity.
“It’s so important for me to balance out opportunities for everyone,” he said. “I haven’t promised them anything other than a discount in the pub when it’s finished.
‘We were all in tears’
“But if, one day, they tell me working with me was a turning point in their life, I’ll be thrilled.
“We have one lad who struggled to communicate because of a really strong stammer. But since he’s grown in confidence he won’t stop talking and his stammer has diminished, which is great to see.
“It shows what kindness and giving someone a chance can achieve.” It is no surprise that helping others has taken a central role in Martin’s life, as Homes Under The Hammer sees him support people while they renovate auction properties.
The BBC One show has proved such popular daytime TV that it has been on air for more than 20 years.
Martin said: “I used to not understand why we weren’t moved to a primetime slot, but I’ve realised being in daytime is more special.
“We’re there for people at their lowest, when they’re off sick or things aren’t great. We have a special way to connect with people.
“I had one woman on the show who was told by her dying mum to use her inheritance to buy a house and do as I told her. Which is exactly what she did. It was very humbling and we were all in tears on the shoot.”
A key feature of Homes Under The Hammer is Martin using his construction experience to help ordinary people sort their houses safely.
One of the first things he does when taking on a new property is check the boiler to make sure the home is gas safe — one of the reasons he has joined forces with the Gas Safe Register.
“It’s mad to me that landlords have to get a boiler serviced yearly, but homeowners don’t,” he said.
“Having a regular check would prevent these horrible stories about people dying from gas leaks or boilers not working properly.
“Plus, it would probably save people money in the long run as it’s less likely to break down or be faulty.”
