[4] Martin was born in Newham, London to a Jamaican mother who died in 2015.

[5] Martin first appeared in the series 12 episode "Fugitive of the Judoon", playing Ruth Clayton, a tourist guide who is later revealed to be an unplaced incarnation of the Doctor known as the Fugitive Doctor.

Martin is currently set to star in The Fugitive Doctor Adventures, an audio drama series focused on her character to be produced by Big Finish.

[10] In November 2020, Talawa Theatre Company released Tales from the Front Line.

[11][12] The first film presented a verbatim narrative from a teacher, played by Martin, talking about trying to keep themselves and their pupils safe during the pandemic,[specify] the emotional and psychological impact of the global Black Lives Matter movement, and the challenges of supporting students' education during an era of great uncertainty.