Martin Popplewell is a broadcaster and journalist. He started his career as a journalist on the BBC’s news trainee scheme. However, his break into TV was an unusual one. When he was just 15 years old he saw the film The Blue Lagoon and decided he too wanted to live as a castaway on a completely uninhabited Pacific island, with just one woman for company. He returned to his teenage desert island to make a documentary, The Real Castaway. The programme won widespread critical acclaim and was described by The Sunday Times as one of THE must-watch programmes over Christmas.

Martin has presented the news on the BBC News Channel, Five, BBC World News and Sky News. He also fronted the lifestyle magazine show Five at Breakfast. The programme was a mix of showbiz news, lifestyle features and movie reviews. He has reported for ITN and worked as a political reporter for the BBC’s On The Record.

Before joining the BBC, Martin was a researcher for Sir Alan Duncan MP at the House of Commons. He also worked for Congressman Richard Gephardt in Washington, D.C., and as a volunteer on President Bill Clinton’s election campaign.

Martin is an experienced scuba diver and has written travel features on the subject for The Times. He has a degree in zoology from University College London.