Television presenter Matt Baker has been gracing our screens for more than two decades and has been the co-presenter of BBC One’s Countryfile since 2009.
Some may even remember Matt for his first presenting role for Blue Peter or his successful stint on Strictly, where he became a runner-up.
With such an extensive career, we delve into his life and how he’s earned a fortune from his work.
Matt was diagnosed with anemia
Before dreams of becoming a television presenter, Matt, born in Easington, County Durham, took an interest in dance and competed as a gymnast while in school.
However, his days of being a gymnast were soon over when he was diagnosed with anemia, a condition caused by a lack of iron and results in dizziness, at age 14.
Due to it being unsafe, Matt was forced to stop.
However, since becoming an adult, Matt has returned to gymnastics, stating it is a great “stress reliever”.
“I’m very physical and I have to do two or three good sessions a week or I get really wound up. It’s the best stress reliever,” he told the Mirror in 2015.
“I do handstands and backflips at home, I’ve got crash mats, we’ve got a big climbing frame and I’ve got ropes in the trees.”
He later trained as an actor
After completing his A-levels, Matt moved to Edinburgh and trained as an actor at Queen Margaret University’s School of Drama. Initially, he wanted to become a physiotherapist, but didn’t meet the academic standards.
In the late ’90s, while still a student, Matt was working as an entertainer. He toured the north of England by starring in a 1970s comedy disco-dancing revival show called Disco Inferno.
“It’s amazing what you do when you’re a student,” Matt once recalled in an interview.
Matt was ‘lonely’ during his early Blue Peter days
Matt quickly became a household name when he became the 28th presenter of the children’s television entertainment programme Blue Peter in 1999. Funnily enough, his gymnastic background helped him in physical challenges.
Moving to London for the job, it took him some time to settle in the big city.
“I had virtually no experience of London and I was incredibly lonely. People just don’t talk to you in the same way and my only contact was people saying ‘are you that bloke off Blue Peter?'” he said.
Although, it wasn’t all bad. Matt won BAFTAs for best Children’s Presenter two years in a row as well as a Royal Television Society Award.
“It was an amazing job. I got to travel the world. I had a whale of a time being able to do it,” he added.
Matt’s family life
Matt met his physiotherapist wife, Nicola, before he began his television career. In 2004, the pair tied the knot at a wedding located in Winston in Teesdale.
The couple have two children — son Luke Baker and daughter Molly Baker. The family lives near Buckinghamshire.
Why did Matt Baker leave The One Show?
From 2011 up until 2020, Matt was a regular co-presenter of The One Show with Alex Jones from Monday to Thursday.
While fans were devasted that he chose to leave, he realised that the countryside life was where he wanted to be.
“When you get to a certain point in your life you start reflecting,” he told The Yorkshire Post, adding: “I’d had that period in my life when I was so busy with The One Show – which was fantastic – but then you suddenly realise what makes you.
“The countryside has made me who I am.”
His former co-host Alex Jones also opened up about Matt’s departure. She said: “Matt didn’t really want to come into London on a daily basis, he’s not a city person.”
The Welsh presenter added: “He wanted to be out in the country and I think he wanted a different pace of life, which is fine.”
How much is Matt Baker worth?
With a huge presenting career that is going strong, Matt has earned himself a fortune. According to Celebrity Net Worth, he is worth an impressive $10 (£8 million), as of 2024.
Read more: Matt Baker expresses ‘heartbreak’ over devastating family loss: ‘We’ll miss her’
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