bbc steve brown© Photo: BBC

All you need to know about Escape to the Perfect Town presenter Steve Brown

The TV presenter is also a former Paralympian

Senior Features Writer
March 4, 2021

Escape to the Perfect Town is back on our screens this week thanks to BBC repeating episodes, giving viewers the chance to watch everyday people look for their dream home in a new location.

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The BBC programme, which started last year, sees one of the beloved Escape stars take hopeful house hunters on a search to find a new property in a brand new town. One of the presenters fronting the show is Steve Brown – but what else is there to know about the TV star?

The sportsman and TV presenter has hosted programmes such as The One Show, Countryfile, Springwatch and, more recently, Escape to the Perfect Town alongside Jonnie Irwin and Sonali Shah. The TV regular has also presented coverage for the Invictus Games and the BT World Wheelchair Rugby Challenge.

© Photo: BBC

Steve Brown presenter many shows for the BBC

The former Paralympic wheelchair rugby player suffered a severe accident when he was 24 years old. After falling from a first-floor balcony, Steve broke his cervical vertebra (below the skull) and trapped his spinal cord. Speaking about his injury, he told the Radio Times: "I wasn't larking around, I just tripped and fell. Of course I wasn't happy about it, but I wasn't wishing the world would end. There was nothing I could change, so I just had to make the most of things."

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© Photo: BBC

Steve is former Parlympic wheelchair rugby player

After his lengthy recovery, Steve went to watch a game of wheelchair rugby and was inspired to take up the sport. Soon after, he went on to join the Great Britain squad before becoming captain of the team for the 2012 Paralympic games. Steve went on to lead the team to fifth place. After his success at the games, Steve then retired professionally and turned to TV work.

© Photo: Getty Images

Steve became captain of the GB team

Despite his successful career in the sporting world, Steve dreamt of a TV career from the start. While at school, Steve was told by a careers advisor to forget his presenting dream. "I told him that I wanted to be a wildlife presenter," he told Radio Times.

"I grew up exploring the countryside around where I lived in Kent. [...] and I loved programmes like The Really Wild Show and everything with David Attenborough. But the careers master just told me I wouldn't be able to do that and to forget it."

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