BBC Homes Under the Hammer's Martin Roberts breaks silence on near fatal heart problem

Martin Roberts, presenter of Homes Under the Hammer, has opened up about his near-death experience due to serious heart problems, revealing that the mental toll was just as challenging as the physical recovery. But in the face of such grim reminders of mortality two years ago, Martin said he was now more eager than ever to make the most out of life with a "no time to die" outlook.

Currently, Martin is directing his efforts towards transforming the lives of young individuals by involving them in an ambitious new renovation project. Many of these adolescents have faced hardships, be it negative peer influences, drug experimentation, or social struggles.

"The thought it could end so quickly made me desperate to do all I can because I don't know how much longer I've got left," Martin said. "None of us do. I've been given this opportunity to change kids' lives and I feel so privileged." Get the best user experience with WalesOnline’s Premium app on Apple or Android

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Martin purchased a dilapidated pub and hotel located in Blaencwm, a historical coal mining village in the Rhondda Valley. Since January last year, renovations at the Hendrewen Hotel have been gradually progressing and Martin anticipated its completion by the end of summer. He also mentioned possible discussions with television executives with regards to the undertaking. While the project significantly boosted his mental health, he admitted the aftermath of his life-altering scare continued to be a struggle, reports the Mirror.

The television personality opened up about the harrowing ordeal that led to life-saving emergency surgery in April, 2022, after he was hospitalised with chest pains. He was diagnosed with pericardial effusion, which is an accumulation of fluid around the heart that can lead to organ failure. Two years later, he still attends regular medical check-ups and admitted that discussing his experience was still emotionally challenging.

He shared, visibly emotional: "I can't understate the mental after-effects of what happened to me. The physical stuff you get over, but it's the overriding thought it could have all ended. Everything you tried to do, and your family, you realise it could all be gone. I was told I needed to slow down and I've gone the other way. Hopefully I've got many years but you never know. That whole thing that happened to me makes you realise how thin a thread we dangle from. But you can't go through life living in that fear."

Having fallen for Wales while working here, he has since been dedicated to promoting the region as a tourist hotspot and is actively involved in transforming it into a thriving community centre. Speaking about his commitment to the project, he said: "This is an ambitious project, the building was closed at the start of lockdown and the village lost its heart." He added: "I thought, 'This needs me.' It's turned into a major community project."

Martin said there were four local schools involved and they each sent eight children a week to help out. Now, each week, these groups of teenagers, aged 15 to 17 years old, work alongside a training company. He described how the experience had transformed lives, including participants landing apprenticeships. Some were just keen to help with the project because of their fascination with doing something practical, others had trouble fitting in and needed to feel part of a group.

One had even stopped experimenting with drugs, according to Martin. He said: "We've got kids who are not really getting on at school, a bit disengaged, in some cases being told they won't amount to much. We're giving them a chance to get construction industry qualifications. These kids come in and you can see their shoulders are down, their heads are bowed and they have no real self esteem. Within weeks we're hearing from families about how these kids have been transformed. They're talking at the dinner table, they're motivated, they're arriving to work early."

Martin's voice cracked as he added: "Parents have rung up and asked, 'What on earth have you done to our children?' Another mum phoned up in tears saying her son hadn't left the house in three years as he had no motivation and he'd just cycled to his grandad's grave, to tell him what he'd been doing at the pub."

Martin shared that his wife Kirsty and their two teenage children, Megan and Scott, were fully supportive of his passion project, despite the work and travel it entailed, as his home in Bath is a two-hour drive away. He explained: "My wife runs the fort at home, which enables me to get on with the job. They understand how important it is for me." See the latest Welsh homes as they come on the market, sign up to our newsletter here.