James Martin’s Saturday Morning made a lively comeback this weekend with special guests from Strictly Come Dancing, professionals Amy Dowden and Carlos Gu. The ITV chef welcomed the dancing duo to discuss their passion for dance and memorable moments from the iconic BBC competition.
James, 53, recalled his own Strictly experience back in 2005, where he impressively placed fourth alongside professional dancer Camilla Dallerup. He candidly revealed the tough eating regimen he was subjected to during the show, which often left him feeling “starving.”
The conversation sparked when Amy, 35, shared how her Crohn’s disease imposes strict dietary restrictions, ruling out foods like red meat, nuts, and hard-to-digest skins. Amy was pleasantly surprised when James mentioned knowing her favourite dish was fried chicken, exclaiming, “How do you know that?”
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James explained, “I think it’s a Strictly thing because when I was doing Strictly, I survived on a popular fast-food outlet, eating by the bag and bucket. The dancers put me on such a strict diet I had to eat lettuce during the day and buckets of chicken at night when I left rehearsals. So today, I’m going to show you how to make your own!”
He then treated Amy and Carlos to his crispy fried chicken, glazed with a sticky cherry cola barbecue sauce and garnished with fresh herbs, chili, and lime, as reported by Wales Online.
James credited Strictly for much of his current success, including his role on Saturday Morning. Reflecting on his time on the show, he joked, “Back then, I’m pretty sure people thought, ‘Who’s that fat lad on the show?’” Carlos quickly jumped in to compliment James as a “charming lad.”
Looking back over 20 years ago, James expressed his admiration for the dancers’ unwavering work ethic and suggested that the standards have only risen since. Both Carlos and Amy acknowledged the programme’s demanding nature but emphasized how much they love being part of it.
Amy revealed she was initially the first professional dancer to decline Strictly but later joined and developed an immense passion for the show. She described how stepping away during her battle with cancer felt like losing something she loved the most.
Although Amy hasn’t confirmed her return to Strictly this year following her health challenges, fans will soon see her perform live on the Reborn 2.0 tour alongside Carlos. The tour represents the personal obstacles both have overcome.
Carlos recently praised Amy’s strength and positivity during her breast cancer fight in a chat on Kate Thornton’s White Wine Question Time podcast. Amy was diagnosed in 2023 and underwent chemotherapy and a mastectomy and is currently recovering.
James Martin’s Saturday Morning returns next week on Saturday at 9:30 am on ITV1 and ITVX.