Mark grew up in the Cotswolds near Chipping Norton, in a house now owned by Jeremy Clarkson. After graduating from Durham, Mark worked as a gold prospector and at the leading bloodstock

auction house Tattersalls, where he started the concept of the breeze-up sale. He now lives in Hampshire with his wife, who runs AN AWARD-WINNING CHEESE BUSINESS (handy as Mark admits to

particularly enjoying food that has been prepared by someone else), their three children and two terriers.