James Martin thought his shock exit from ‘Saturday Kitchen’ created a similar hysteria to that of when One Direction split.
The 43-year-old presenter was shocked by the reaction he got when he announced earlier this year that he was stepping away from the tummy-gurgling show following 10 years at the helm and believes the uproar was almost as bad as when the ‘Little Things’ hitmakers announced their hiatus.
Speaking about the response he got after he announced his exit, he said: "It was surreal. I didn’t think it was a big deal, but it was everywhere – the equivalent of One Direction splitting."
But, despite the broken hearts he was to blame for when he turned his back on the show, the culinary legend doesn’t think it had anything to do with his good looks or on-screen charm.
He told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "I don’t think I’m a sex symbol. I look like a big lump on the TV. My mum tells me not to wear pink because I look like a curtain."
Meanwhile, James hasn’t been short of presenting gigs since his departure as he’s set to front ‘This Morning’ alongside Ruth Langsford today (29.04.16) while her husband Eamonn Holmes – who underwent a double hip replacement earlier this year – has a day off to recuperate.
Speaking about his gig, he said: "The phone went crazy the minute we said I was leaving the Saturday morning show. The only thing I said ‘yes’ to was ‘This Morning’, as I used to watch it as a kid. My mum still watches it now – she’s more nervous than I am."
And, although he’s thrilled to see the back of the weekend cooking show, James hasn’t packed away his oven gloves and hung up his apron for good as he’s set to team up with superstore Asda over the coming months to help whip up delicious meals for families on a tight budget over summer.
He said of the collaboration: "Mine and Asda’s values go hand-in-hand, so heading into summer it’s all about cooking up a fresh new approach to food for customers every day of the week."
James Martin’s shock exit from Saturday Kitchen was similar to ‘One Direction split’
