Matt Allwright


Matthew Allwright is an English television presenter, journalist, and musician. He has presented shows such as Watchdog, Rogue Traders, Food Inspectors, The Code and Fake Britain for BBC One as well as The One Show.

Early life

Allwright was educated at two independent schools in Berkshire: at Dolphin School in Hurst and Reading Blue Coat School in Sonning, where he was Head Boy, followed by the University of Manchester, where he gained a degree in English.

Career

In 1997, Allwright was hired as a feature reporter on Watchdog, after contacting the programme to complain about his mother's faulty washing machine. The BBC saw potential and requested Allwright present the report himself. This led to a regular reporting slot on the show. Many of his early Watchdog stints also guest-starred his mother, as a consumer commentator.
In 2001, Allwright also began presenting another programme; Rogue Traders with Dan Penteado. The show was a 30-minute undercover consumer programme in which Allwright and Penteado investigated and confronted rogue tradesmen. In 2004, Allwright hosted Brassed Off Britain, Scambusters and Fat Nation for the BBC. In 2007, he also presented Food Poker for BBC Two. In 2008, Allwright and former Watchdog presenter Anita Rani hosted a short-lived spin-off from Rogue Traders, called Rogue Restaurants. In 2009, Rogue Traders was merged with Watchdog, with Rogue Traders split into feature segments and shown throughout. Allwright also became co-host on Watchdog.
Since 2010, Allwright has guest hosted BBC One's The One Show, where he fills in for Matt Baker on numerous occasions, as well as being a regular feature reporter. Since 2011, Allwright has also hosted the BBC show You've Been Scammed. In 2012, Allwright presented ITV's primetime game show The Exit List for one series. Allwright also co-hosting the BBC One programme Food Inspectors with Chris Hollins. In 2012, Rogue Traders co-presenter Dan Penteado was dropped by the BBC following his arrest for fraud. Allwright continued to present the show, in a solo capacity.
From 2013, Allwright replaced Dominic Littlewood in presenting BBC consumer rights programmes Fake Britain and Saints and Scroungers, in 2017 Dominic Littlewood returned to presenting duties on Fake Britain and Allwright left the series. In December 2013, Allwright began co-presenting the BBC One programme Keeping Britain Safe 24/7 with Julia Bradbury.
From 1 September 2014, Allwright presented The Housing Enforcers, a daytime programme for BBC One. There were ten 45-minute episodes showing each week day for a run of two weeks. A second series was shown on the BBC in 2015 of which there were twenty 45-minute episodes. In April 2016, Allwright began presenting the BBC One daytime game show The Code which returned for a second series in March 2017.
On 4 June 2016, Allwright guest presented an episode of The Saturday Show on Channel 5 alongside Gaby Roslin. He later became a permanent co-presenter after Matt Barbet left the show. Since 9 July 2016, he has presented the show alongside Gaby Roslin.

Personal life

Allwright is a patron of the Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society. He is also a patron of Launchpad Reading, a local charity working to prevent homelessness in Reading, and the Dorset-based Grace Secondary School Appeal. Allwright is a follower of cricket and a supporter of Bracknell Bees ice hockey club and Liverpool Football Club.
Allwright is an aficionado of country music and plays guitar, lap and pedal steel guitars, keyboards, and sings. He writes a regular blog about his experiences learning to play the pedal steel guitar.

Filmography

;Television
YearTitleChannelRole
1997–2001Weekend WatchdogBBC OnePresenter
2001–2009Rogue TradersBBC OnePresenter
2004Brassed Off BritainBBC OnePresenter
2004ScambustersBBC OnePresenter
2004Fat NationBBC OnePresenter
2005Children In NeedBBC OneOutside Presenter
2006Just the Two of UsBBC OneParticipant
2007Food PokerBBC TwoPresenter
2008Rogue RestaurantsBBC OnePresenter
2009—WatchdogBBC OneCo-presenter
2010—The One ShowBBC OneStand-in presenter
2010The Secret TouristBBC OnePresenter
2011—2013You've Been ScammedBBC OnePresenter
2012The Exit ListITVPresenter
2012–2014Food InspectorsBBC OneCo-presenter
2013–2015Saints and ScroungersBBC OnePresenter
2013—2016Fake BritainBBC OnePresenter
2013–2014Keeping Britain Safe 24/7BBC OneCo-presenter
2014—2017The Housing EnforcersBBC OnePresenter
2016—2017The CodeBBC OnePresenter
2016The Saturday ShowChannel 5Co-presenter
2019—Britain's Housing ScandalBBC OnePresenter
2020—Your Money and Your LifeBBC OneCo-presenter

;Guest appearances