Martin Fitzmaurice has been the face of the Embassy and all other major televised tournaments which are played under the banner of the BDO and the WDF from 1986-2013. He started calling in the county system and made his tournament debut at the Buckham Oil Open in 1975.

Fitzmaurice was born on June 3, 1940 in Kensington, London, but his early years were spent living in Wales as the Second World War kept him away from his hometown. On his return to London, Fitzmaurice would go on to attend the St. Clement Danes Holborn Estate Grammar School for Boys, where he completed his A-levels. Before his association with the BDO began, Fitzmaurice had jobs working in a solicitor’s office, as an electrician and a tube train driver. A move to the Essex town of Colchester saw Fitzmaurice’s involvement in darts really begin, as he was asked to chalk a match in a local pub. After refereeing a youth match in Essex, Fitzmaurice was asked by Bobby George to referee for him during his exhibition matches, as his regular referee Freddie Williams was unavailable.

In the exhibition circuit he has worked with Bobby George (5 years), then as a stand-inn for Eric Bristow and Maureen Flowers which together had a show in that period. Then three years with Bob Anderson and over 1,000 shows with Leighton Rees. In more recent years he has worked with nearly every player in England and all over the world. In addition to his career as a caller he is also very active within the BDO and IDPA, the players association of the BDO. The Highlight in the great career of Fitzmaurice comes on January 9, 1990 when Paul Lim hits the first and only 9-darter on stage at the Lakeside Country Club against Jack McKenna. Martin is the referee that match.

When caller Jack Price was taken ill during the 1985 World Masters, George persuaded the BDO to use Fitzmaurice as his replacement, which started the Londoner’s near 30-year relationship with the organisation. In 2013 he is forced into retirement after he made racist comments on stage during the British Internationals. In his resignation letter to the BDO he wrote: “No offence was intended, but I now realize that I should not have used material with racial references. 

On 14th April 2016 Fitzmaurice passes away. Fitzmaurice will be forever famous as the man with the famous words where many a match started with: "Are you ready? Ladies and gentlemen ... Let's play darts! ... "

First World Championship in 1986, last in 2013.