https://www.facebook.com/1716752518612158/

Martyn James Media, London (2026)

20/06/2026

I’ll be live on BBC Radio 4, Moneybox today with the legendary Paul Lewis! I’ll be talking about how best to spend your money smartly when abroad and how to avoid the fees and charges that can really cut in to your holiday budget. Tune in from 12pm today or catch up on BBC Sounds.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qjnv

BBC Radio 4

19/06/2026

It feels like I’ve spent June zipping around the country from one event to another. But after filming with the BBC on Thursday Ooop North, today I was lucky enough to get a bit of family time.

My family means the world to me. This was a tricky week, as my brother died six years ago yesterday. But today: we had each other.

…and this one… this one is a dream. Like me she got all over excited and had to have a calm down. Probably my massive nose that did it.

One serious point: abuse against disabled people and those with visible disabilities is massively increasing. If you see any of these as****es being rude, aggressive or dismissive, it is your duty to call them out. And if you see someone with a disability as you wander through each day, give them a big smile. It’s that easy to do a good thing.

M x

18/06/2026

It’s the last day of filming for the next few episodes of Rip Off Britain and I’m delighted to say I got to spend it with my showbiz brother: Gary Rycroft.

We’ve been friends for over a decade and a half now and I couldn’t ask for a better mate. Also: his dry sense of humour is epic and we enjoy firing barbed comments at each other, with a cheeky raised eyebrow.

We are part of a team of experts who support and champion each other, from us old pros to our new young colleagues. It’s a joy.
.rycroft

17/06/2026

It was a real honour to be asked to host the launch of the third Money Talks report: a collaboration between the MONY group, Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) and UM.

I was lucky enough to host a moderated discussion live from Channel 4 with the MONY Group’s Kara Gammell, CALM’s Simon Gunnel, UM’s data specialist Kim Lambert and TV legend and comedian, Jack Rooke, creator of Channel 4’s ‘Big Boys’.

Money Talks was set up to provide a wealth of free resources for people who need help getting on top of their money but don’t know how to get started. Each year, the service releases an in-depth report looking in to how people feel about money and their finances. This year’s report ‘Alone in the Algorithm’ reveals that money worries are far more widespread than people think, with one third of people experiencing daily financial anxiety and half of all people saying they are more worried about their finances than last year.

But there are reasons to be optimistic. The report found that where people have communities where they feel safe, they are able to talk about their money concerns – and find the help they need. One other factor that emerged from our discussion at the launch: we all feel better when our friends and peers admit to struggling themselves and making mistakes. So let’s be bold about being a bit rubbish with money – and reach out to the people you love who are finding life hard.

If you want to support the campaign, there are posters people can download for your local community, along with tips and advice here:

https://www.moneysupermarket.com/moneytalks/

Channel4 JackRooke BigBoys SimonGunnel KaraGammell

MartynJamesExpert columnist journalist broadcaster expertsunite expert consumerrights brandambassador presenter journalism columnist

14/06/2026

I had a wonderful time presenting and hosting the Trading Standards Awards on Wednesday for the second year running.

I’ll be posting a more detailed overview of the event later this week, but I thought you’d enjoy a peek at my ‘big entrance’ outfit!

When I’m hosting events, I like to go the extra mile. That means I spend a lot of time writing the script, rehearsing and finding out more about the event. But wherever it’s appropriate, I like to introduce a bit of fun too – and I’m pleased to say that Trading Standards allowed me to run with my ideas!

This year the conference was in Glasgow, hence the kilt. But what’s the tartan? And more importantly, why oh why do I have a traffic cone on my head?

12/06/2026

It’s Pride month. And Pride should be a protest. But I worry that everyone has lost their perspective. Both left and right.

Here is why we did it. Here’s why it matters.

In 2009, Ian Baynham was walking through Trafalgar Square holding hands with a man when three teenagers killed him for being gay. If you can bear it, the story is here:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-11990646?app-referrer=deep-link

Some people reading this may focus on the fact that the man involved in the attack is black. But the principle aggressor. The one who stamped on Ian as he lay dying. The one who joked about his death. The one who is utterly undeserving of forgiveness, is a white public schoolgirl called Ruby Thomas.

I knew Ian. Not well enough to say we were close friends. But I knew him enough to have a little chat. He was a regular in my favourite bar: SW9 in Brixton. He was a beautiful, kind soul.

Somehow: he was murdered in front of people in the very centre of London.

It’s 2026 and the LGBT community has never been more divided.

At some point we have to stop fighting each other and wringing our hands. We don’t have to agree on everything. But this level of aggression within my own community needs to stop. Because there will be more incidents like what happened to Ian. And we will only solve them if we accept that we have the right to our own opinions, yet remember that the fight for each other is what matters.

This involves difficult conversations with people we may disagree with. But engage: don’t rage. That’s how we won in the 90’s. That’s how we will win again.

I often think of Ian. My heart still beats faster as I walk past the fountain near where he died. But mostly it’s him laughing with mates. Telling me I need to talk to people and not sit by myself. Being lovely.

It’s time to come together. No more in fighting each other. Time to focus on the bigger fight. 🌈

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-11990646?app-referrer=deep-link

10/06/2026

As I’m in Glasgow for the Trading Standards Conference, I jumped at the chance to be back in the studio at BBC Radio Scotland live for my weekly consumer clinic! This week I got to chat with the fabulous Laura McGhie - and what fun it was!

I’m so grateful to BBC Scotland for having me on the morning show for nearly 2.5 years now. I was originally booked for 6 weeks! But nothing beats being in the studio in Glasgow with the wonderful BBC Scotland team!

Catch up on BBC Sounds now.

09/06/2026

It’s the end of the first day of the Chartered Trading Standards conference and what a day it’s been!

We have a record number of attendees and today’s opening ceremony and panel discussion were swamped (sorry if you couldn’t get in).

As host and moderator, my job is to deal with any hiccups and to support our fantastic speakers. And to not look too sweaty, which is a challenge when you’re on stage for three hours.

This year we have an extraordinary array of guests. Kate Dearden MP gave a speech on consumer rights that restored our faith in these troubled times. Our chair David MacKenzie and big boss John Herriman dropped some really inspiring speeches.

Then the legend that is Nick Stapleton gave the delegates a rollercoaster ride through scams, AI and how to tackle fraudsters!

Finally, I was thrilled to host our all female panel, featuring: Louise Baxter (CTSI, a zillion other leading roles), Noyona Chundur (chief exec of the Consumer Council of Northern Ireland), Sue Davies (Head of Consumer Rights at Which?), Helen Kennedy-Shamir (Chief Legal Officer at Check A Trade) and Sarah Adcock (Director for Consumer and Competition Policy at the Department for Business & Trade).

Listening to these extraordinary women and their groundbreaking views on protecting consumer rights was inspirational.

Tomorrow we tackle scams and financial crime: and I’ll be presenting the CTSI Awards!

08/06/2026

I’m thrilled to confirm that I will be hosting the Chartered Trading Standards Institute Conference this year in Glasgow.

As well as hosting the launch of the conference, I’ll be moderating the leading plenary discussion on day one on consumer protection. Then on Wednesday, I’ll be presenting at the CTSI awards dinner, in my kilt, obviously.

I’m honoured to be returning to host this year’s conference again after last year’s big event in Blackpool This year we have a record number of attendees and an action packed series of debates, discussions and social events.

As a journalist and broadcaster, hosting the events also gives me the chance to meet countless CTSI staff and representatives from the UK’s leading organisations and businesses, from government ministers to businesses leading the way in consumer protection and safety.

I’ll be posting from the conference throughout the week – and you can catch me live in the studio for my weekly consumer call-in clinic on Radio Scotland on Wednesday too.

https://events.tradingstandards.uk/CTSIConference2026

02/06/2026

One of the things I love the most about my job is the platform it gives me to talk about often challenging subjects – while helping people find the support and recognition they need.

So I was thrilled to be asked to be on the ‘Just Checking In’ podcast with my good friend Freddie Cocker recently. Freddie’s podcast – and the wealth of resources on the Vent website – gives a vast range of people from all backgrounds the oppertunity to talk about their struggles with mental health, the impact of su***de and bereavement on family and friends and how to turn the tide when dealing with the challenges posed by mental health issues.

I wanted to be as frank as I could about my own experiences when I spoke to Freddie and though some of the things we discuss are challenging, it’s important that people see that they are not alone – and that it is possible to turn a corner, even in the darkest times.

This is a subject that means a lot to me – and I’m pleased to say that I’ll be taking part in some major campaigns on money and mental health this month. Watch this space.

The podcast is out now on a range of platforms. Cut and paste or click below and share your thoughts.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/7K2ssadKhNv3OYz5DKr4Oi?go=1&sp_cid=193b0f62-e5b8-4d58-a3d2-974aa69a7986&nd=1&dlsi=d34c5a46e57046bc

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/jcip-358-martyn-james/id1459698774?i=1000770137159

https://thejustcheckinginpodcast.buzzsprout.com/

https://vent.org.uk/

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