Natasha Howard spoke to 2024 MM Industry Awards host Martin Bayfield about representing England as an international rugby player, and why pre-game nerves are nothing on the pressure of the MasterChef kitchen.
“I was genuinely excited, nervous of course, because you are aware you can make an absolute howler. The first thing I thought was ‘do not slice your finger open’… that would be a nightmare!”
How do you go from the police force to competing on cooking shows? Martin Bayfield has moved from tackling players on the field to scoring roles in film and television, including BBC’s Celebrity MasterChef – all thanks to opportunity, he says.
Martin explained that he’s always been interested in cooking, but it was only when he joined the police that he began to cook his own food: “I was doing shift work, and I was also increasing how much rugby I was playing. I had to cook my own food because canteens and restaurants were never open. It was very basic stuff – even when I started cooking for my family, it was all pretty basic, but I was always able to follow a recipe.”
Indeed, Martin attributes his ability to stay cool in the MasterChef kitchen to his years of working in sport, where he experienced pressure in abundance. “It’s interesting talking to John and Greg; they say that the sportsmen and women they have on the show usually do pretty well because we follow instructions. We’re used to taking information on board and then using it to our advantage. I revelled in the fact that I was learning something new, and I really enjoyed it.
“It’s a different world. You get a glimpse – and it’s only a glimpse – and you’ve fooled yourself if you come away from MasterChef thinking, ‘that’s it, I’ve cracked it,’ because you are effectively just a competition winner in someone else’s kitchen.”
“Playing on an international level, everything is amplified. The nerves, the excitement, the noise, the colour - everything.”
Aside from roasting Ginea Fowl and wiping up a crème brûlée, Martin is particularly fond of a good, old-fashioned British dinner.
“When I grew up British cuisine was simple, and as we Brits started to travel the world and taste better food our palates became more refined and a little more demanding. Crikey, if I could go back in time and put the food I prepare now in front of my parents, they wouldn’t know what on earth I was serving them up!
“I enjoy a roast leg of lamb, and there’s something fabulous about a roast dinner followed by a crumble. Apple and blackberry would be my weapon of choice. If you’re talking the language of MasterChef, it would be with ‘crème anglaise’ – if you’re talking Sunday afternoon in the pub, custard.”
Surprisingly, Martin’s time representing England on an international scale brought him less stress than the pressure of the MasterChef kitchen ever did. He explained: “I sort of knew what I was doing with the rugby. It’s a long time ago now and the game has changed, but I think those feelings of nervous excitement and apprehension before a game affect you all the same. Playing on an international level, everything is amplified. The nerves, the excitement, the noise, the colour – everything.
“It was an astonishing time in my life. When I go and watch a game, there’s a degree of envy I have for the current players. I think, ‘God, just to have that feeling one more time would be incredible’.
“I retired through injury and I wasn’t ready for it, so it took me a long time to adjust. I enjoyed the transition to broadcasting and working in sports media – it has kept me as close to the game as possible. There is nothing as exciting in broadcasting than live sports broadcasting. When you know you’ve got one shot at it, you’ve got to get it right.”
“If someone can take you on a journey and fill you with the same sort of passion and desire that they have then that’s something very special.”
You can’t speak to Martin without asking him about the Harry Potter films. At 6’10, for years he acted as the body double for Robbie Coltrane’s Hagrid, starring alongside some of Britain’s acting royalty, including Sir Michael Gambon, Dame Maggie Smith and Sir Kenneth Branagh.
“I wasn’t really expecting to go into the film industry. Opportunity and good fortune paved the way for that. The interest in the filming, the actors that were involved, the quality of production – it all told you ‘this is going to be something very special’.
“There was almost a degree of grief and mourning when it finished, because I worked on them for 10 years. I absolutely loved it, and I will cherish those moments till the day I die. Possibly more than the rugby!”
Martin to host 2024 Meat Management Industry Awards
Martin’s next starring role is as host of this year’s Meat Management Industry Awards on 19th September. The annual awards programme is the biggest of its kind for the UK and Irish meat sectors, and is fundamentally about recognising excellence and rewarding those inspiring individuals at the heart of the industry.
Speaking about what inspires him, Martin said he is keen to spotlight those who are passionate about what they do: “I am drawn to people who can communicate, who can let you know in the moment what it is you need to do and why you need to do it. When you know someone who conveys a passion, you listen to what they say, and you try to walk in their footsteps.
“If someone can take you on a journey and fill you with the same sort of passion and desire that they have then that’s something very special.”
Join Martin at the Meat Management Industry Awards on 19th September, at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole, near to the NEC.
More information, including how to book tickets, can be found here.
