Matthew Collins is a forty-something, bald bloke (in better shape than most 20-somethings) who makes a living writing and talking about Travel and Being A Dad.
Some people might remember him from BBC2’s The Travel Show. For 10 years he was the programme’s Special Assignments Man, gamely undertaking a weekly travel challenge which could range from spending a week alone in a French nudist camp, to journeying overland to Spain with his leg in plaster (when it wasn’t even broken) to test travelling facilities for disabled people.
He did other TV – presented on Wogan, fronted a quiz show, hosted a series called Well Worth a Visit, and did lots of daytime stuff. He also made a commercial for Schweppes Tonic Water with Liz Hurley and Richard E. Grant.
He’s written four-and-a-bit books – one on The Travel Show, three on adventures with his kids in North America (he first took his boys across the States when they were toddlers; their last adventure was a Florida busking tour), and he’s part-written a guide book to Spain.
For the last seven years he’s been bringing up his two sons alone (Charlie and Nicolai, now 15 and 14). Their mum lives in Spain. She is Russian so he knows a bit about that country too.
As a single father, Matthew knows what it’s like to be a dad who is also trying to be a mum. (He claims to be a great dad but terrible mum.) He also knows about balancing work and home life (and often failing at both) and what it’s like to be a dad in a mum’s world.
He’s made many mum friends but still has dad friends – he even maintains childless male and female friends for when he wants to forget completely about parenting.
Matthew speaks fluent French and reasonable Spanish. He can also swear in Russian and recite Pushkin. His interests include horses, walking, cycling and swimming and occasionally dancing madly (and very badly) to music turned up loud. He enjoys photography. He also enjoys wine and good conversation.
Matthew has an addiction – to bargain-hunting in supermarkets. He has become such an expert at this that he put on a show at the Edinburgh Fringe called How to Pimp Your Kids and Shop For Free at Waitrose. (When he did the show at Buxton the title was toned down...)
Matthew sometimes likes football but always enjoys poetry – everything from Shakespeare to Simon Armitage. He likes flowers and loves receiving them. Boxing fascinates him. His childhood idol was Muhammed Ali and he was a member of Kingston Boxing Club for two long weeks in 1978. Matthew likes Iggy Pop, David Bowie, Roxy Music, Kirsty MacColl, Johnny Cash, Leonard Cohen, Jimi Hendrix, James Brown, Marvin Gaye, The Tindersticks, Edith Piaff, Charles Aznavour, Serge Gainsbourg, Jacques Brel and Dexy’s Midnight Runners. He’s keen on Mahler, Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, Rachmaninov, Prokofiev, Gershwin, Copeland and Vaughan Williams too.
It’s already been said but Matthew Collins makes a living writing and talking about Travel and Being A Dad. He gives highly motivational talks on these subjects (plus talks on improving your writing and talking) to organisations ranging from schools to corporations. His talks are always humorous and entertaining.
More about Matthew's Talks.
More about Matthew’s books: Matthew’s Travels – 10 Years of The Travel Show; Across America with the Boys; Across Canada with the Boys and Three Grannies
Please get in touch for more information.
Email Matthew