The two look more like burly dockers than crafters. Alan's words, not mine. This was the business world of Alan and Barry's Crafts and my first view of the principals, Alan Gear and Barry Freestone, was through a glass screen seated next to editor/director Stuart Morley in the recording booth.

The live show is an active and very dynamic promotion of the company's products, many of which are designed by the duo, the main thrust of which is papercraft.

"We aim to be educational with every product, to explain and to demonstrate it," said Alan.

"We run the business like we would want to shop."

They also, usefully, get instant reaction on whether or not viewers like the product.

The gist of their time on air is to "get the product across." but Alan and Barry don't simply give the facts – there is humour, much banter, a naturalness of delivery that is easy on the ear.

"It is TV on the cheap," added Barry. "Six cameras, four audio inputs and BT ensure professional standard and portability, but also keep the costs down."

They have a massive worldwide database, with thousands watching the shows every day. The two are "high-profile" figures in this industry, attracting a massive customer base.

The business is multi-faceted, forever evolving and on an upwardly mobile curve, with turnover heading for the £1 million mark this year.

It's a long way in time and geography from the early days of about 25 years ago. Alan was trained as a patisserie chef before he ventured into crafts, worked for a time in Sweden and had a number of amateur dramatic roles before he trained professionally. His acting credits include TV, theatre, commercials and film. he also made a rather colourful appearance in series three of The League of Gentlemen and was also featured in a documentary about the making of the series.

Barry joined Alan in 1990 and he helped Alan develop the glass painting business that Alan started to augment with his earnings as an actor. That had to change direction very quickly in 1996 when they lost their shop in the Manchester bombing. If that wasn't bad enough, six weeks later they lost their entire remaining stock when their van was stolen.

They then started selling their glass paints and this led to the publication of their first book, The Complete Guide to Glass painting which is still the best selling book on the subject. Since then there have been six more books, the last one published by Reader's Digest.

In 2000, Alan and Barry approached Ideal World TV with their products and they and the products were an instant hit, selling out at each appearance. It was then that they approached the chief executive at the time.