Martin Lewis and the accident that changed his life | UK News
The Manchester-born financial journalist launched Money Saving Expert in 2003 from his front room, at a cost of just £80. The website focused on how to save money on bills, and became such a hit that by 2012, Lewis was fronting his self-titled The Martin Lewis Money Show on ITV.
Today his advice on everything from council tax and credit cards to car insurance and interest rates is seen as a lifeline for struggling families as the cost of living continues to soar.
His wife Lara Lewington is also making waves on the small screen, after she signed up to join ITV’s Lorraine as the show’s first ever ‘AI agony aunt’, solving the nation’s tech-related problems.
But things haven’t always been easy for the money saving guru, who suffered a cruel childhood tragedy that he describes as ‘the definining moment’ of his life.
Martin Lewis’ wife and children
Martin Lewis is married to BBC Click presenter Lara Lewington (aka Mrs MSE).
Lara, a technology journalist and expert on artificial intelligence, is believed to have started dating Martin around 2005, when she was working as a reporter for Five News.
She had previously worked as a runner on Channel 5’s It’s a Knockout, and also featured in a weekly sketch on ITV1’s The Impressionable Jon Culshaw.
Martin and Lara married in 2009, and welcomed their daughter Sapphire Susan Lewis three years later in 2012.
The doting dad gushed about his little girl in a post on his blog, writing: ‘While she weighs a wee 6lb 60z, her weight in joy is immeasurable.’
While Martin never shares photos of his daughter online, he often speaks of the incredible influence she has on him.
He told the Sunday Times in 2020: ‘When my daughter was born, I remember saying: ‘I’ll buy her everything she needs, but not everything she wants’. Unfortunately, I didn’t factor in her special power. Those eyes.’
‘I’m helpless and usually resort to saying, “Ask mummy”, because mummy is stronger than me. We don’t splurge on her, but one of my greatest joys is making her happy.’
Defining tragedy
Long before he was the UK’s saving guru, Martin lost his mother Susan Lewis in a tragic accident which happened while she was horse riding, three days before his 12th birthday.
Martin got emotional in an interview with Radio 5 Live in March 2018 when he opened up about his loss for the first time.
He said: ‘I was told there had been an accident involving a lorry but no one told me how serious it was.
‘I remember worrying that my mum wouldn’t be there for my birthday. The next day my dad told me that she died that morning and that was the end of my childhood, that moment.’
Martin said he cried every day until he was 15 when he developed anxiety that left him unable to leave the house for fear of another tragedy unfolding.
He explained: ‘My mum was there one day, and she wasn’t the next and that was it.
‘I couldn’t cope with it…I was a little boy. I was a little boy struggling to deal with something that nobody should be dealing with at that age.’
After speaking publicly about his mother’s death for the first time, Martin thanked fans in a post on his Money Saving Expert website, saying he was ‘overwhelmed in every way’.
He said he couldn’t believe the response, which saw the interview top the ‘most popular’ section of the BBC’s website.
Martin, who said he agreed to the interview to raise awareness of the charity Grief Encounter, said the loss of his mother at such a young age was the defining moment that changed his life.
Where does Martin Lewis live?
Martin Lewis lives with his family in London, but he is also believed to own properties in Cheshire.
The Sunday Times Rich List put Martin Lewis’ net worth at a staggering £123 million in 2021 – with much of this often attributed to the 2012 sale of MoneySavingExpert.com, a deal put at around £87 million.
He is a big believer in giving back, and has so far given £20m to charity, with the biggest donation helping support people’s mental health.
MORE : Martin Lewis’ prediction on when second cost of living payment could arrive – and it could be in your banks soon
MORE : Martin Lewis’ Money Show is taking a summer break just as Martin takes one – but when will the series be back on screens?
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