James Martin shares dad's brutal two-word reaction to family farewell for career

TV hostJames Martin's dad had some harsh parting words for him as he set off to make his name in London's top restaurant kitchens.

In a recently resurfaced 2024 interview, the 53-year-old ITV chef revealed that his father told him to "bugger off" as he embarked on his journey to the capital.

Speaking to Visor Down, he shared that within 36 hours of leaving for London, he was already working in a Kensington kitchen and went on to describe how he spent his free time when not whipping up culinary delights.

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He remembered: "The day I finished college I said to my dad that I wanted to go and work in London, so he took me home where I packed a bag, then he drove me to the train station and told me to bugger off and have a good time.

"I came to London with 50 quid in my pocket and not a clue what to do. 24 hours later I was working in a kitchen in Kensington."

"When I finished my shifts in the kitchen I used to spend my time pressing my nose up against the glass of fancy car and bike dealerships, day dreaming about one day being able to afford such beautiful machines."

James also delved into his love for cars, alongside his passion for cooking. He said: "I knew from an early age that I wanted to be a chef, I think I was about 11 when I decided that was the career for me.

"I grew up on a farm and used to tear around on all manner of field bikes, crashing a lot but having loads of fun. I started doing okay [in London] and ended up buying a Vauxhall Nova, not very rock and roll but it was all I could stretch to."

From his modest start, James has climbed to become one of Britain's leading multi-award-winning chefs and has presented beloved television programmes fromSaturday Kitchen, to James Martin's Saturday Morning.

His journey hasn't been without challenges, though, after he fought a battle with facialskin cancerin 2018.

Following his original diagnosis, he's undergone numerous operations after the illness returned repeatedly.

During another chat, this time at the Game Fair in 2024, he opened up about the impact the condition had on him whilst speaking to fellow cancer survivor, First Dates star Merlin Griffiths.

He said: "I think going through what you've gone through, and what I've gone through, you've gone through a lot worse than what I have, but going through that, then nothing can be as bad as that.

"So it doesn't matter what people think, I don't care, it doesn't bother me in the slightest if you like Jamie Oliver, it doesn't bother me, that's fine."

James Martin is set to return on James Martin's Saturday Morning this Saturday at 9.30am on ITV.