Breaking barriers: Meet Lucy Martin, the BBC’s pioneering disabled weather presenter
In an industry often criticised for its lack of diversity, Lucy Martin continues to push forward. Born without her right forearm, Lucy’s journey to becoming the BBC’s first blind weather presenter is a testament to determination and talent. From her early passion for geography to overcoming career challenges, Lucy shares her inspiring story in Disability Horizons. Find out how she navigated the ups and downs of broadcasting, her visual impact and her vision for a more inclusive future.
Lucy Martin was born with limited use of her right forearm and hand and is the BBC’s first person with a visible disability to be a weather presenter. In 2015, she joined the BBC’s initiative to give people with disabilities who are passionate about weather and the environment the opportunity to learn about the job. After a three-day workshop, Lucy had the opportunity to start her training to be a weather presenter.
Our regular writer Emma Purcell spoke to Lucy to find out more about how she got the job, the highs and lows of her presentation, and how her disability has affected her career and life.
What was it like growing up with a disability?
I was born with only one hand, so that’s all I’ve ever known my whole life, so it’s completely normal for me. Kids are really outspoken, so they often ask me what happened to my hand, but that’s usually it, they just see me as Lucy.
I did everything the kids around me did and never felt like it held me back. I rode my bike, swam, played instruments, did lots of dance and theatre. Maybe I was a little too good at it. In nursery I was tying other kids’ shoes and cutting their lunches.
My family expected me to get on with things and not hide, and I think that helped my outlook on life a lot. We were also members of Reach, a charity that supports children with upper limb disabilities, and it was great for me to meet so many kids like me through the charity.
Have you ever tried or considered a prosthetic or bionic arm?
Yes I do. It’s recommended that people get a prosthetic arm as early as possible and learn to use it as they grow. So my mom took me to get one as a baby. I have vague memories of this, but I never really got used to it. My mom says I would always take it off and put it away in the toy box.
In elementary school, I was fitted with a movable prosthetic arm. I had to make an appointment to learn how to use it before I could bring it home. Once home, I brought it to school and did a “show and explain” to almost the entire school.
However, the next day, I decided not to bring it to school as it felt too heavy and unnecessary.
What first got you interested in weather and meteorology?
Being British, I’ve always been interested in weather, and I also love geography and the wide variety of topics that it encompasses, so I decided to do a degree in geography.
As part of my Geography degree I studied Meteorology, and it’s one of those subjects where the more you learn, the more you want to know.
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How did you find out about the BBC initiative and what did the workshops involve?
I was staying with a friend from school and her mother saw an advert for this initiative on the BBC. I didn’t hesitate to apply and was delighted to be given the opportunity to take part in a three-day workshop in July 2015.
The workshop was pretty intensive. There’s a lot more involved in presenting weather forecasts than probably meets the eye at first. There were a variety of different sessions, including voice coaching and storytelling. I met with a mentor who guided me through the day and gave me more details on what the job entails. I also spent time with a makeup artist and actually practiced my presentation in a studio.
When delivering the weather forecast, there is no autocue or script and you mainly use a green screen, so you have to get used to speaking without being told what to do and pointing to the right places.
Have you always wanted to be a weather anchor but found your disability made it difficult?
To be honest, not really. I always thought presenting would be a lot of fun, but I always thought I’d end up working in an office.
Weirdly, it’s probably the other way around: my disability led me to work with the BBC and then I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to train, and through hard work I ended up doing it full time.
Have any viewers commented on your disability?
Yes, I’ve gotten a wide variety of comments, but 99% of them have been positive. People are inspired by seeing me on screen, they find it refreshing, and they support what I’m doing. There’s also a lot of interest in what happened to my hand.
Unfortunately, as is the case with any career in media, I did receive some mean comments, but they were very rare.
How does it feel to be nominated for the Icon Award, which recognises people who champion diversity?
“I was really happy to be nominated. I personally feel that disabled people are currently under-represented on TV and in the media, despite a lot of good work being done to improve disability representation. I’m really happy to be a part of changing that.”
I’ve received so many lovely messages of support from people saying that my work has had a positive impact on them and the people they know, so being nominated for the Icon Award by the public just confirms that even more.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t attend the ceremony as it was my grandmother’s 80th birthday and I couldn’t miss it.
What do you hate most about giving weather forecasts?
Wake up early! My alarm always goes off before 4am. Also, presentations are a high-pressure job that can be quite tiring and I don’t function well on little sleep.
What do you see as your future career?
I’m not sure. I always wanted to do national weather forecasting and I’ve been lucky enough to do that from time to time. I’m very happy with where I am now. I love forecasting weather and I learn something new every day. I never thought I’d get to where I am now, so I’m just going to keep going and see what happens next and where it takes me in the future.
Emma Purcell
Updated June 2024
The BBC’s ongoing commitment to disability representation
Since Lucy Martin’s groundbreaking role as BBC Weather presenter in 2018, the BBC has continued to make great strides to promote disabled representation both on- and off-screen. As of 2024, the broadcaster has surpassed its previous targets, with disabled talent making up 14% of on-screen roles and 13.5% of the BBC workforce.
The BBC remains committed to achieving its 50:20:12 target of 50% women, 20% black, Asian and minority ethnic people and 12% disabled people across the organisation. To achieve this goal, the BBC has implemented several initiatives, including the BBC Elevate scheme, which supports disabled people in mid-career to progress in their careers through tailored training, coaching and mentoring.
Additionally, the BBC has launched new initiatives to improve access for disabled talent, including faithful representation in scripted programming, significant and incidental representation in unscripted content, and ensuring at least one disabled contributor, presenter or performer per series as part of its Access First Titles programme. These initiatives are supported by the TV Access Project’s 5As guidelines, which set industry-wide standards for disability inclusion.
The broadcaster’s work was recognised at the 2022 MIPCOM Diversify TV Awards, where it won the award for Best Representation of Disability for its series “Inside Our Autistic Minds.” Building on this success, the BBC has produced a second series, “Inside Our Neurodivergent Minds,” which explores the experiences of people with ADHD and dyslexia.
Despite this progress, the BBC recognises there is still more to do. The BBC continues to work with organisations such as the Creative Diversity Network and PACT to drive change across the industry and ensure disability representation remains a top priority. By continuing its commitment to inclusivity and accessibility, the BBC aims to create content that truly reflects the diverse experiences of its audience.
For people with disabilities who are interested in a career in the media industry, there are several organizations and resources available.
Reach Charity: an organisation that supports children with upper limb disabilities, which Lucy Martin was involved with as a child. Evenbreak: a job board for disabled jobseekers, with the ability to filter for media-related roles. Creative Diversity Network: an organisation that works to improve diversity and inclusion in the UK media industry. Disability Rights UK: the UK’s leading charity providing support and resources for disabled people.
By connecting with these organizations and exploring available resources, people with disabilities can find support and guidance to pursue a career in the media industry.
Lucy Martin’s story is a powerful reminder of the importance of representation and inclusivity in the media industry, and as the BBC and other organisations continue to make progress in this area, we can hope to see more diverse voices and perspectives on our screens in future.
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