Who is Guy Martin?

Age: 35

Why is he famous?

Guy has been a regular face on TV screens for the past five years, fronting engineering programmes such as The Boat that Guy Built on the BBC in 2011 and Channel 4's How Britain Worked, before moving onto adrenaline-fuelled motorcycle racing show Speed with Guy Martin. He's now back with a new Channel 4 series, Our Guy in China, exploring China's history of innovation, technological development and manufacturing.

He was offered a spot on Chris Evans' Top Gear – but turned it down.

What did he do before TV?

Guy is also a motorcycle racer, having competed in his first race back in 1998. He has since earned 15 podium finishes, and has broken his back twice while competing. His appearance in Closer to the Edge, a documentary about TT racing, is what launched his presenting career.

Not content with both racing and media work, Guy is also a truck mechanic – a job he's held since leaving school at 16. He works Monday-Friday, only taking occasional time off for racing or filming work, and has even been known to cancel complicated shoots when they clash with the day job.

Anything else I should know?

He's said to be uncomfortable with his status as a public figure – and told Radio Times last year he wasn't interested in the Top Gear job partly because he didn't want to turn into someone who "doesn't know what a pound is". He was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome a few years ago, but said "It hasn’t changed anything, it just confirms why I do certain things in a certain way."

When's he on TV next?: Our Guy in China starts at 9pm on Monday 21 November on Channel 4