Homes Under The Hammer presenter Martel Maxwell says new role was worth cutting maternity leave short for

MARTEL MAXWELL put any thoughts of extended maternity leave on hold to become the new presenter on Homes Under The Hammer.

Scot Martel has joined Martin Roberts and Dion Dublin for the 21st series of the property show.

She admits she’s a huge fan of the popular BBC1 daytime series and even the arrival of third child Guthrie, now six months, wasn’t going to stop her becoming involved.

“I screen tested when I was heavily pregnant,” says Martel, who has two other boys Monty, about to turn four and Chester, two, with husband Jamie.

“I worked when I was pregnant and then went back after a couple of months. It was quite quick, but you have to film.

“In an ideal world, more maternity leave would have been nice, but this job was worth making an exception.

“I was happy to do it because it wasn’t a case of being away Monday to Friday. It was just a couple of days and I loved what I was doing. I wouldn’t do it otherwise.

“Then I’d come back and attach myself to the kids. Of course I had a bit of anxiety because Guthrie was so young but when I was home I was 100% with the kids and I had this feeling of having done something.

“Because I know that on maternity leave you can go slightly crazy.”

And Martel, who used to be London-based but has moved back “home” to just outside Dundee, says she really appreciated the job offer.

“I love babies which is why I keep having them – although I am stopping now – but I was also so chuffed that someone had given me the chance.

“I wasn’t the safest bet. Here I was, heavily pregnant, living in the middle of nowhere in Scotland and someone says, ‘Here you go, have your dream job’. So many women say they haven’t had the same opportunities after having children and I was very happy to get a shot.”

There were lengthy trips down south for all the filming, but as a super-fan of the show she says that was no big deal.

“I should try and play this cool, but what the heck I’m SO excited to be a part of this,” laughs Martel, who was already a familiar face from presenting slots on ITV’s Lorraine and BBC1 staple The One Show.

“I’ve genuinely watched it for years. Having had babies in quite quick succession I’ve been off quite a bit it’s amazing the number of women you speak to who’ve said it got them through their maternity leave.

“When the boys were weeks old and I was trying to get into some kind of routine I’d be settled down there on the sofa. The only problem is that it’s one of those shows you can’t leave.

“Even if you know you can record it you want to see the reveal and I had to try and wean myself off of it.

“I’d have it on series link and my husband would complain he couldn’t record anything because the Sky box was full.

“So having been an avid viewer it seems surreal to be on it.”

Martel, who trained to be a lawyer before moving in to journalism, is an ideal candidate for a property show as there’s a real connection in her family.

Her uncle owns a building firm, her granddad was a plasterer and her husband runs a commercial property business. His insights into the sector have led her to dabble a bit and she now owns a shop.

“I’ve owned my own property since I moved to London in my early 20s and we’ve now built our own house,” she adds.

“The only thing that was there before was a cattle grid.

“We had to bring in everything, including water and electricity, and we’ve ensured it has an underground pump heat source so it’s environmentally friendly.

“I can’t say I’m the handiest round the house though. I did some painting but you could see the brush marks so Jamie did the rest.

“The designing and the look is more my thing.”

Homes Under The Hammer, BBC1, Mon-Thur, 10am.