Melissa Porter

Melissa Porter
Born Melissa Jayne Tindelia
(1972-12-18) 18 December 1972
Wythenshawe, Manchester, England
Nationality British
Occupation TV presenter
Known for To Buy or Not to Buy
Escape to the Country
The Renovation Game
Get a New Life

Melissa Porter (born 18 December 1972[1]) is an English television presenter, best known for her BBC programmes To Buy or Not to Buy and Escape to the Country.

Early life

Melissa Jayne Tindelia was born in Wythenshawe, Manchester,[1] the middle of three sisters of Italian-Czech parentage. Her father was an importer of luxury Italian motorcars.[2] Porter got the property bug from her parents as they moved from one house renovation project to the next in Cheshire.

Career

After graduating with a degree in Retail Marketing from Manchester Metropolitan University, Porter worked as a marketing manager for Marks & Spencer, Kodak and a brand manager for Playtex. She then worked as a professional relocator for a company based in Knightsbridge.

While on a team building exercise, her colleagues suggested she ought to consider a career in television. Porter put a show reel together and CV, and got her first break in 2002 on Granada TV's Men and Motors. Porter then moved to the BBC, presenting a number of shows including Put Your Money Where Your House Is and Get a New Life.[3] Porter has written on property for the Mail on Sunday and Yahoo.

In 2007, Porter presented in the series Countryfile: The Summer Diaries[4][5] and Escape to the Country.[5][6] Porter has also presented new segments on travel, relocation and buying property for Barclaycard on GMTV.[5] She has also presented on Live the Dream: As Seen on TV with Nick Barratt.[7]

Together with Charlie Smurfit she was the co-founder of property design and renovation company Porter & Smurfit. She has renovated and sold several homes and sold her former Wandsworth house without using an estate agent. In 2009, Porter joined Uber Interiors, a bespoke property design services & resource centre.

She is now the frontperson for Oral B toothpaste television advertisements.

Personal life

Formerly married to a Midlands businessman,[2] Porter has a son from a relationship with American businessman Peter Rinfret, the son of former White House aide Pierre Rinfret.

Porter is a patron of the British Thyroid Foundation.[8]

Porter enjoys sport, particularly tennis, motoring, sailing and skiing, and both water-skiing and black runs on snow.

References

  1. 1 2 "Me & my health: Melissa Porter". The Journal (Newcastle, England). 31 July 2003. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  2. 1 2 "Fame and Fortune: Melissa Porter". London: The Telegraph. 2008-03-25. Retrieved 2009-11-12.
  3. ↑ "Melissa Porter – Arlington Enterprises". Archived from the original on 16 July 2010. Retrieved 2009-03-10.
  4. ↑ "Countryfile: The Summer Diaries episode guide". BBC One. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 "Melissa Porter". SpeakOut!. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  6. ↑ "Escape to the Country". Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  7. ↑ "Live The Dream As Seen on Scre". Lifestile. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  8. ↑ Patrons BTF Website

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