Martin became known in the 1980s for his appearances in TV ads for
the Jewson hardware chain. His acting works include playing the fish shop man in
First of the Summer Wine. He also played 'Charlie the moonlighting gravedigger' in the
Beiderbecke Tapes. He was in
The Royle Family as Joe Carroll. He also starred in the film
Brassed Off, the television series
All Creatures Great and Small,
Chucklevision,
Coronation Street,
Playing the Field,
Victoria Wood and
Last of the Summer Wine. In 2001, Martin began playing
Len Reynolds in the
ITV soap opera Emmerdale. In May 2007, it was announced that Martin's character Len, would be killed off, as Martin had accepted the role of
Captain Mainwaring in a stage production of ''
Dad's Army. In 2018, Martin had a role in the comedy film Walk like a Panther''. ==Personal life and death==