Celebrity chef James Martin has revealed that his relationship with James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli ended partly because she tried to buy him a £180,000 Aston Martin. The Saturday Morning star, now 49, said the lavish gift highlighted an 'imbalance' between them.
Martin and Broccoli, 61, were together for four-and-a-half years before splitting in 2008. They met at a charity auction and quickly formed a bond despite a 12-year age gap. Broccoli, reportedly worth £300 million, also gave him three original Picassos.
Reflecting on the relationship, Martin said the car offer was a turning point. 'It wasn’t as if it was my birthday or Christmas – it was just a spur of the moment thought,' he explained. '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.' Martin described the split as 'the daftest thing I have done in my life but it was probably the most sensible, too.'
Since 2011, Martin has been in a relationship with TV producer Louise Davies, whom he met on the set of Celebrity Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? The couple keep their relationship private.
