James Martin's ITV show Saturday Morning reportedly achieved its highest viewing figures in eight years last year, and the success has been linked to a surprising tactic: wearing more colour on screen. The chef has hosted the programme since 2017, following his time on the BBC's Saturday Kitchen.
Ratings boost linked to colour
Last year, it was reported that the Yorkshireman had achieved his highest-ever viewing figures since the show began, with ratings up by eight per cent on the equivalent 2024 slot average. Discussing the ratings on her YouTube show, Holly Willoughby Together, Holly said she had heard his success was down to wearing more colour on screen.
Speaking to Joanne McNally, she said: "I was listening to something this morning on the radio, you know James Martin who [used to do] Saturday Kitchen? He's like a Yorkshire kind of lad and he had his colours done, went back on Saturday Morning wearing colours and the ratings went up like 40 per cent and consistently stayed the same."
Holly's reaction and the original claim
While telling Joanne the story, Holly caught a coat hanger on her top, accidentally exposing her bra. "That's how I get my ratings up," she laughed, before adding of James: "Apparently it was because of the colours."
Refusing to believe this was the reason, Joanne said: "It can't be because of that, this sounds like he's got a very powerful stylist who's paddling that, there's no way." "Well, wait until we get you into a bit of colour," she added, before helping Holly to step out of her usual comfort zone.
Chris Evans is thought to be the person who initially revealed the so-called reason behind James' ratings boost. Speaking on his Virgin Radio Breakfast Show in 2019, he told listeners: "You know my friend James Martin? A colourist contacted him when he was on the BBC on Saturday Kitchen there before he went over to ITV to do it rather successfully on ITV. And a colourist got in contact with him and said, 'Let me start choosing colours for your show' and the ratings went up by a million the next week and they never, ever went down again."
The presenter went on to reveal that he uses the colour technique himself, insisting that his winning colours are orange and turquoise. "It's really important and if I'm interviewing a guest, if I'm back at the news tower, I always wear turquoise or orange and this is proper science going on here," he added.
James Martin's views on watching himself
James hosts his relaxed weekend cookery show from the comfort of his own home. Despite its success, the chef has previously revealed that he never watches himself back on television. "I've never watched myself in 34 years of doing it. I can't watch it, I just can't – it's really weird," he told The Independent. "I was always taught, if you're going to watch yourself, you'll change. I don't really want to do that."
As for his clothing choices, James has said his mum is his biggest critic and won't shy away from sharing her opinion. "Usually my mum phones me up and says, 'That shirt looks s**t, you can't wear that again'. That's usually the comment I get on Saturday Morning – 'What the b****y hell are you wearing that shirt for?' That'll be the one, after all these years," he added.
James Martin's Saturday Morning airs weekly at 10.30am on ITV and ITVX.
