Mat Irvine has been involved with model making over most of his lifetime. He is perhaps best known for his work with the BBC Visual Effects Department, covering all aspects of special effects, including model making, and designing 'miniature' sequences for Doctor Who and Blake's 7, and science programmes including Tomorrow's World, Horizon and The Sky at Night. Mat also regularly appeared in front of cameras for programmes such as Swap Shop and Saturday Superstore, demonstrating model-building techniques. He has acted as a consultant with many of the model-making companies around the world.