James Martin is a staple on the box, but the popular chef is pretty protective of his private life.
Did you know, before finding love with partner Louise Davies, he had a long-term romance with Hollywood legend Barbara Broccoli, Bond producer no less?
The TV chef met Barbara, 12 years his senior, at a charity auction and the pair “instantly clicked”.
James, 51, went on to date the American Bond heir for almost five years before they eventually called it quits.
How did James Martin and Barbara Broccoli hit it off?
James – on screen today (July 18) with his Islands to Highlands show – first met Barbara, now 63, 20 years ago after he was auctioned off for charity.
He previously wrote for the Mail Online: “Meeting Barbara, daughter of the first Bond producer, ‘Cubby’ Broccoli, was unusual to say the least.
“She ‘won’ me in a charity auction in 2001, when I was 29, paying £18,000 to have me cook a meal at her Chelsea house.”
Six weeks after the auction, James visited Barbara’s lavish London home to cook the meal.
The pair were joined by Barbara’s five friends.
He added: “The evening was hilarious – and we just clicked.”
Read more: Who is James Martin’s girlfriend and why has Saturday Kitchen chef said he will never marry her?
Unfortunately, the couple’s relationship hit the skids after four-and-a-half years.
James later admitted their worlds were just too different.
Speaking in 2008 after the split, James said he would feel starstruck after finding himself in the presence of Hollywood A-listers, such as Bond Girl Halle Berry and Nicole Kidman.
He also revealed that Barbara, who has an estimated net worth of $400 million, had showered him with incredible gifts – including three genuine Picassos.
Read more: Saturday Morning star James Martin reveals how he copes with dyslexia
But when Barbara tried to buy James an £180,000 Aston Martin DBS with the chassis number 007, it all became too much.
“It wasn’t as if it was my birthday or Christmas – it was just a spur of the moment thought,” he wrote.
“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’.”
The Saturday Morning star added: “It was a defining moment in our relationship. Deep down, I knew there was always going to be an imbalance.”
Finding love again
In 2008, James questioned whether walking away from Barbara was a ‘daft decision’.
However, within a few years he had found love with TV producer Louise Davies.
The couple met on the set of Celebrity Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? in 2011 and they are still going strong today.
But in stalk contrast to his romance with Barbara, James and Louise – who share a pet dog together called Ralph – prefer to keep their relationship out of the spotlight.
James Martin’s Islands to Highlands is on today (July 18) at 2pm on ITV1.
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