The newest presenter on BBC's long-running upcycling show Money For Nothing has revealed that a childhood toy first sparked his love of creating things with his hands.
Rob Bent, who first came to prominence as part of the makeover crew on Stacey Solomon's Sort Your Life Out, said: "I've always found I've been good with my hands. I think it started from Lego, so there's the building part, putting things together," he laughed.
Early influence from his father
Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk, he continued: "My father, he fixed things around the house. So I think my upcycling journey started from really young watching him or helping him. Even though he was a plumber, he'd put his hand to everything, and then I fell in love with the carpentry side of things.
"So I just like from building something from scratch. So you start from a 2D piece of paper, the drawing then turns into something three-dimensional," he smiles.
New role as frontman
Reflecting on his new role, he said: "With finding great items before they get thrown into a skip in Money For Nothing you have a blank canvas. It's a 3D item, so you're able to then just kind of get creative with it and draw from things that you've seen when you've gone into shops or when you've gone into houses. You kind of draw from your inspiration, and then if it feels right, go for it."
Although he is already well known to TV viewers, this is his first time fronting a show, and he admitted it is a change for him. "It was a transition because the one with doing the other show is Stacy's the presenter of the of the show, and anytime I am talking to camera, I'm not talking at the camera. I'm talking to her," he explained.
Changing viewers' perspectives
"Whereas on Money For Nothing, I am talking down the camera. Actually, going out there and being front and centre, finding the items for myself to upcycle, and finding them for artisans - because I've got to think of them as well," he said.
"I honestly still pinch myself regarding because this is something I didn't imagine - the position I've been in. But the one thing I love, it's all focused around what I love to do. My passion is using my hands, being creative and being a carpenter."
He added that by watching the show, "it changes people's perspective when they look at things in their own home, or when they walk past something that's going to be thrown out, or that's sitting outside somebody's house. They can look at that and say, 'Hold on a minute! If I did that to that instead of me now going down the road and spending £150 to get a new one I could have a really nice piece'."
