James Martin reveals 'spur of the moment' action that led to split from partner

James Martin ended his relationship with Bond producer Barbara Broccoli over a lavish "spur of the moment" gift that he claims summed up a problem between them.

The TV chef who has hosted Saturday Morning with James Martin and Saturday Kitchen was in a relationship with Hollywood boss Barbara for four-and-a-half years, but has said that the moment that ended their romance showed up the "imbalance" that would always be between them.

James, 51, said that he was very much in love with Barbara, known for her work on the James Bond films, but knew he had to split from her after she tried to buy him a £180,000 Aston Martin as a spontaneous gift.

Although James has enjoyed plenty of success as a chef and on TV, he said that he knew there was an imbalance with Barbara, a Hollywood heavyweight who was friends with some of the world's biggest movie stars, and thought it could never work.

He met Barbara, 63, at a charity auction and they instantly clicked, spending nearly five years together until they broke up in 2008, with James telling The Daily Mail at the time about her incredible generosity.

The chef said Barbara had bought him three Picassos and a Lowry painting of Whitstable that he keeps in a vault, but said that he drew the line at the Aston Martin which she offered to buy him after he admired one that was being made for Daniel Craig for a Bond film.

James, who recently had treatment for facial cancer, told The Mail: "It wasn’t as if it was my birthday or Christmas – it was just a spur of the moment thought. In the end I said, ‘If I want something, I’ll work for it. Just drop it or we’re going to fall out over this’."

He added: "It was a defining moment in our relationship. Deep down, I knew there was always going to be an imbalance."

But he said that Barbara had been "the first real love of my life" and shared how hard it had been to walk away from her, admitting: "Maybe it was the daftest thing I have done in my life but it was probably the most sensible, too."

After their split, James dated former Miss England Sally Kettle and then TV producer Louise Davies, who he met on Celebrity Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? in 2011.

James and Louise split in December but are said to have stayed on good terms, while he is now rumoured to be dating personal trainer Kim Johnson - the ex-wife of Arun Nayar, previously married to Elizabeth Hurley - who he was spotted looking at watches with in a Mayfair shop.

Back in 2019, James told the Sunday People his thoughts on marriage: "No, it doesn't interest me in the slightest, mainly because I've catered for so many weddings, really. I admire people who do it, that's fine, but I'm quite happy. I don't need to spend 60 grand on a day, no, I'm more than happy thanks."