James Martin has provided an update on his health following a prolonged battle with facial skin cancer, which he described as leaving him in 'debilitating pain'. The 52-year-old chef was first diagnosed in 2018, and the cancer 'returned on several occasions', requiring multiple surgeries.
Martin said the period around his diagnosis was 'one of the most fraught and difficult periods of my life'. He missed his grandfather's funeral, which traumatised him, and his home was burgled. He even planned his own funeral at the time.
Now, over six years later, Martin feels much improved. He told Candis: 'This is the first time in six years that I feel as fit as a fiddle.' He has adopted a more relaxed outlook and opened a pub, the Lygon Arms in the Cotswolds, with a 10-year plan for a restaurant called Eight.
Martin also discussed his three-stone weight loss, driven by his passion for car racing. He said on the Spooning with Mark Wogan podcast: 'It comes down to the fact that I race cars... I struggle to get out of them now.' His diet includes fish and butter, and he avoids gyms, instead walking 20,000 to 30,000 steps daily with his dog.
