Celebrity chef James Martin has candidly shared his thoughts on stepping away from BBC’s Saturday Kitchen, admitting that “it was the right time” for him to move on. At 53, James has built a stellar reputation through television shows such as Ready Steady Cook and The Big Breakfast, before becoming the beloved host of Saturday Kitchen in 2006.
After a decade of hosting the popular BBC show, James chose to leave and launch a new chapter with James Martin’s Saturday Morning on ITV One. Now in its ninth series, the pre-recorded show is filmed at his home in Hampshire, where James welcomes a variety of chefs and celebrity guests in a relaxed, intimate atmosphere.
James has openly discussed how the decision to switch networks was partly motivated by a desire for better work-life balance and a chance to “reset” his career. Speaking with Woman’s Way magazine, he reflected, “I didn’t think I’d be doing [Saturday morning telly] for 20 years – put it that way. Leaving the BBC after 10 years was a big decision, giving up that show, but it was the right time for me.”
READ MORE: Power Outage Strikes Dozens of Homes in Gloucestershire
READ MORE: Gloucester Mayor Clarifies Timing of Special Meeting Amid AI Video Controversy
Filming from a kitchen designed specifically for the show in his own residence offers James a “different vibe” and creates a more casual setting for engaging with guests. He describes this move as a “different chapter” in his professional life.
James was initially drawn into television while he was head chef at Hotel du Vin at just 22 years old. At the Game Fair 2024, he shared, “Television, I got dragged into it with the Hotel du Vin and I got dragged into it even more with the BBC. I think having a reset and by leaving that and going to ITV… ITV were the first people in 30 years who said, ‘What do you want to do?’ That’s when I said, ‘Look, I’d love to go back to where I used to work in France.’”
Since his transition to ITV, James has hosted several travel programs spanning Spain, the Scottish Highlands, and America. One highlight was revisiting his early culinary days in James Martin’s French Adventure.
Despite his television prominence, James admits he never watches himself on screen. In an interview with Irish News, he explained, “I’ve never watched myself in 34 years of doing it. I can’t watch it, I just can’t – it’s really weird. I was always taught if you’re going to watch yourself, you’ll change. I don’t really want to do that.”
James Martin’s Saturday Morning airs on ITV One at 9:30 am. This week’s episode features cycling legend Mark Cavendish, along with chefs Lesley Waters, Ashley Palmer-Watts, and baker Richard Bertinet joining him in the studio.