James Martin used to sleep in a campervan over concerns about his ongoing career success (Picture: Ken McKay/ ITV/ Rex/ Shutterstock)
James Martin used to sleep in his campervan and ‘never stop working’ due to worries his TV career could come to a sudden end.
The 51-year-old is best known for fronting BBC’s Saturday Kitchen from 2006 until 2016, before moving to ITV and hosting series’ including James Martin’s French Adventure, Saturday Morning with James Martin, and James Martin’s Spanish Adventure.
He has also been a guest presenter on This Morning and appeared on Strictly Come Dancing in 2005.
However last year, amid an apology after accusations of exhibiting bullying and intimidating behaviour while filming an ITV programme, James revealed that he had been diagnosed with facial cancer a few years earlier and had been facing ongoing treatments.
Reflecting on his career, James once spoke about being concerned it might end at any moment.
On his Grilling podcast, English celebrity chef Simon Rimmer asked James about his extreme dedication to his work.
The TV chef has fronted shows including Saturday Kitchen and Saturday Morning (Picture: Ken McKay/ ITV/ Rex/ Shutterstock)
Reflecting on James’ days appearing on BBC Good Food Shows, Simon said: ‘You’ve never lost that. You were always known as being the guy that would like… you’d roll up in your camper van, you’d sleep in your camper van at times, and you’d do the show, and you’ve never stopped working.’
He went on to ask: ‘Still now, you still don’t. Is that because of a love for it, or is it also… are you slightly insecure that you worry about it ending?’
James then said there were ‘several things’.
‘I worry about it ending for sure, not that I’m pressed about it now as much as I was. But I still care more than I did before, if that makes sense?’ he explained.
‘Because when I do This Morning, none of the home economists can understand why I’m in there at five o’clock in the morning.
‘They don’t understand.’
Simon then praised James’ dedication, saying he was impressed by his work ethic when he could have ‘easily kicked back a little bit’ or ‘become a little bit arrogant’.
He briefly took a break from working last year (Picture: Ken McKay/ ITV/ Shutterstock)
Last month James offered a update on his health, saying that he has stitches that are ‘falling out’ after undergoing multiple operations.
In an interview on Lorraine, he said it was ‘onwards and upwards’.
In July 2023, James revealed that five years previously, he had undergone surgery after receiving a facial cancer diagnosis, before it returned on ‘several occasions’.
In November, the chef then said that he was ‘taking a break’ from work, stating during a stop on his tour that he would ‘be back fighting at the end of February’.
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