Gemma Longworth – How a Liverpool Art & Up-cycling Star Turned Grief into Purpose
Who Is Gemma Longworth?
Gemma Longworth is a dynamic British television presenter, furniture up-cycler, artist and creative-wellness entrepreneur based in Liverpool, United Kingdom. With a warm, accessible presence on screen and in the community, she has built a reputation for combining craftsmanship with compassion. She first came into wider public view through the Channel 4 show Find It, Fix It, Flog It, where she works as a presenter and restorer of salvaged furniture and antiques. Over time she extended her reach beyond TV, founding Hidden Gems CIC, a social enterprise dedicated to using craft and creative practice as a tool for bereavement support and emotional healing.
Early Life, Education and Creative Foundations
Early Years and Family Background
Gemma Longworth was born in May 1984, which makes her about 41 years old in 2025. Growing up in Liverpool, she developed an early interest in art, textiles and design. One pivotal personal experience was the loss of her young brother, Sean, when he died at the age of eight. This bereavement profoundly shaped Gemma’s outlook and ultimately seeded her belief that creativity can be a form of healing.
Academic Training
Her formal education reflects her creative ambitions. Gemma studied a BA in Drawing & Applied Arts at the University of the West of England, followed by a Master’s in Textiles at Manchester Metropolitan University. These credentials provided her with both technical expertise and conceptual insight into the role of art, craft and materiality in personal expression and transformation.
The Button Boutique and Beginning of Entrepreneurship
After university Gemma launched her first enterprise — The Button Boutique & Boutique Workshops — in Liverpool. For over a decade she ran event-based workshops, taught arts and crafts, and built a local creative community around up-cycling and design. This period refined her skills as teacher, maker and facilitator, and paved the way for her transition into media and social enterprise.
Gemma Longworth’s Television Career
Find It, Fix It, Flog It – The Show That Raised Her Profile
Gemma Longworth’s breakout role came on the Channel 4 daytime series Find It, Fix It, Flog It, where she appears alongside host Henry Cole and other restoration experts. On this show Gemma is filmed finding furniture and objects with hidden potential, restoring or up-cycling them, and often working under deadline pressure to “find, fix and flog” the items. Her design-savvy approach and personable screen presence have made her a favourite with viewers.
Craft, Up-cycling and Television Presence
Beyond the mechanics of restoration, Gemma Longworth brings an artistic sensibility to the process: choosing colour, texture, story and sustainability to turn neglected objects into desirable pieces. This mode of working aligns closely with her later craft-wellness mission: transformation, renewal and value revival. Her television work has given her a national platform, and she uses it to amplify her message of creative empowerment.
Public Persona and Media Versatility
Gemma’s presence in the media extends beyond furniture restoration. She appears at craft fairs, hosts workshops, collaborates with charities and leverages her TV credibility to speak about creative wellness, sustainable design and emotional resilience. Through a combination of design innovation and personal authenticity, she stands out from more purely entertainment-driven presenters.
Hidden Gems CIC – Crafting Healing Through Art
Founding Hidden Gems and Its Mission
Driven by her own bereavement experience, Gemma Longworth founded Hidden Gems CIC in 2024 (as Managing Director). The enterprise offers creative wellness workshops, bereavement support programmes and one-to-one sessions across children, teens and adults. Its motto — something akin to “turning negatives into positives through art” — encapsulates Gemma’s personal ethos.
Key Programmes and Partnerships
One of the flagship initiatives is Alder’s Hidden Gems, delivered in partnership with Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, providing weekly craft-therapy sessions for grieving children. Gemma has also worked with charities such as Mencap (up-cycling a charity coffee shop in Liverpool) and engaged corporate groups in “Paint Yourself Positive” workshops to promote wellbeing via creativity. Her social enterprise links her television profile, craft background and personal history in a cohesive mission.
Book Author – Craft Your Cure
In June 2025 Gemma Longworth is set to publish the book Craft Your Cure: 25 Craft and Upcycling Projects to Heal and Bring Joy. The book extends her creative-wellness philosophy into the home, giving readers practical projects alongside emotional insight and the story of Gemma’s own journey. The book underpins her role as a thought-leader in the UK’s craft-wellbeing space.
Personal Life – Age, Family, Relationships
Age and Personal Timeline
As mentioned, Gemma Longworth was born in May 1984, making her approximately 41 years old in 2025. Social-media posts show her celebrating her 40th birthday in May 2024 with friends and family, reflecting an independent, socially engaged woman.
Family – Mother and Late Brother
Her closest publicly acknowledged relationships are with her mother, Lee (often featured in posts), and her late brother Sean. Gemma frequently posts tributes to Sean — remembering his life and how his loss set her on the path of creative healing. Her relationship with her mother is lovingly documented, with portfolio posts of them spending time together. These family ties are central to her personal narrative.
Is Gemma Longworth Married? Husband/Partner?
Multiple online sources claim that Gemma Longworth is married to a man named Michael Barker, allegedly married on 25 September 2019 in Liverpool. However, there is no verifiable primary source — such as a public statement by Gemma, official marriage records cited publicly, or major media coverage — to confirm this. Gemma’s own social-media and professional profiles do not mention a spouse or husband and her posts focus on her mother, brother and creative life.
Therefore, while the claim circulates, it remains unverified. It appears safer to state that Gemma Longworth is not publicly confirmed as married, and no name of a partner appears in her official and verifiable communications.
Children or Not?
There is no credible public indication that Gemma Longworth has children. Her social media, posts about workshops, personal milestones and family ties never refer to being a parent or having children. Some comments on older posts even joke that it will “be your turn” when she’s older, implying followers are aware she does not have children.
Thus it appears Gemma Longworth is child-free, or at least does not publicly disclose any children.
Net Worth and Professional Value
Estimated Net Worth
While precise financial data for Gemma Longworth is not publicly audited or disclosed, several industry websites estimate her net worth in the region of £450,000 to £600,000 (rough conversion from US dollar-denominated estimates of US$600,000-800,000). These estimates factor in her TV earnings, workshop consultancy, book royalties and social-enterprise income.
Income Streams and Professional Stability
Her diversified professional base factors into these estimates:
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Television presenter income from Find It, Fix It, Flog It and other media appearances.
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Income from workshops, corporate wellness events, and craft-therapy facilitation.
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Book sales and related brand extensions.
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Her own branding and social-media influence, which may support partnerships and sponsorships.
Given her combination of media profile, entrepreneurial activity and social-impact brand, Gemma Longworth has managed to build a sustainable career rather than relying on a single revenue stream.
Why Gemma Longworth’s Story Stands Out
Creativity Meets Compassion
Gemma Longworth’s appeal lies not just in her restoration talent or up-cycling expertise, but in the emotional and social underpinning of her work. She repeatedly transforms the discarded or forgotten — whether furniture, craft materials or personal grief — into something of value, meaning and beauty. That narrative resonates strongly at a time when sustainability, mental-health awareness and creative entrepreneurship are all in the public eye.
Authenticity and Accessibility
From early Instagram posts with her mother to large-scale creative projects and workshops, Gemma Longworth keeps her tone human, accessible and relatable. She doesn’t just promote big projects; she shows real-life anecdotes: relaxing in a hotel, hosting pumpkin-painting workshops, citing her mum and late brother. This consistent authenticity aligns well with her brand of creativity and healing.
Media Profile and Social Impact
Her work on Find It, Fix It, Flog It gives her national exposure, but her true impact lies in community programmes, craft therapy and the wellness ecosystem she has helped build. The combination of media status plus meaningful work makes her a rare example of a celebrity-maker who prioritises social substance over spectacle.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Gemma Longworth?
Gemma Longworth was born in May 1984, making her approximately 41 years old as of 2025.
Is Gemma Longworth married?
There is no verified proof that Gemma Longworth is married. Online claims of a husband named Michael Barker exist, but they lack credible documentation and Gemma’s own public accounts do not reference any spouse.
Does Gemma Longworth have children?
No credible public information suggests that Gemma Longworth has children. Her posts and professional narrative focus on her creative work, her mother and the memory of her brother, rather than parenthood.
What show is Gemma Longworth known for?
Gemma Longworth is best known as a presenter and furniture up-cycler on the Channel 4 series Find It, Fix It, Flog It. On the show she sources, restores and up-cycles items, often on tight timelines and with a creative twist.
What is Gemma Longworth’s net worth?
While precise figures aren’t publicly available, estimates place Gemma Longworth’s net worth between £450,000 and £600,000, based on her multiple income streams from TV, entrepreneurship and publishing.
What is Hidden Gems CIC?
Hidden Gems CIC is the social-enterprise founded by Gemma Longworth which provides creative wellness and bereavement support arts programmes. It helps children, young people and adults heal through craft, up-cycling and creative expression.
Is Gemma Longworth Guy Willison’s wife?
No. Gemma Longworth and Guy Willison (another craftsman in the UK TV world) are not married and have no personal relationship beyond being part of the broader restoration/up-cycling community.
Final Thoughts
Gemma Longworth’s journey—from a Liverpool student of textiles and design, to television presenter, creative entrepreneur and wellness advocate—offers a compelling blueprint for how craft, authenticity and purpose can align. Her career demonstrates that creativity can be more than aesthetics; it can be healing.
Her story stands out because rather than leaving her personal pain behind, she brought it into her public mission. The loss of her brother spawned Hidden Gems CIC; her work on television popularised up-cycling; her public life remains rooted in family, community and kindness.
While her personal life (marriage, children) remains private or unverified, her professional and philanthropic footprint is unmistakable. In a world saturated with influencers, Gemma Longworth distinguishes herself by combining design, restoration and emotional empowerment in a genuine and accessible way. For anyone inspired by the intersection of making, wellness and social good, her story is both relatable and aspirational.
In short: Gemma Longworth is not just a restoration presenter—she is a creative healer, a community builder and a thoughtful communicator whose work continues to evolve and expand.
