James Martin 'split' from Barbara Broccoli after she tried to buy him £180k car
James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli is said to be worth £300million and after buying Saturday Morning star James Martin three genuine Picassos, he said he drew the line at an £180,000 Aston Martin.
The world of James Bond has been shaken and a bit stirred with the news that Amazon is set to claim a stake in the iconic series.
Jeff Bezos' firm will now hold creative reins over the famous 007 character as long-standing producers Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli take a step back in an exciting new arrangement. It means a huge change in the life of Broccoli - who has been at the helm of Eon Productions along with Wilson since the death of her father Albert "Cubby" Broccoli in 1996.
ITV chef James Martin opened up on his split with the James Bond producer and previously the celebrity chef said he knew things were doomed with his former flame when she tried to buy him a £180,000 Aston Martin. The pair had dated when James was 29 and she was 49.
The star and Broccoli were together for four-and-a-half years before they ended their relationship in 2008, as we previously reported.
James Martin opened up on the split (Image: Rhodes Media)
Reflecting on his past love, James, says there was an 'imbalance' between himself and the mega-rich producer, now aged 64, so he knew deep down it wouldn't work. After the pair first met at a charity auction, Martin remembers how they instantly clicked despite having a 12-year age gap. Broccoli had 'won' James at the auction in 2001, paying £18,000 for him to cook her dinner. The Hollywood bigwig ended up being impressed by James' cooking skills and hired him again to cook a birthday meal, before romance soon followed.
Barbara - said to be worth around £300million - showed her affection by showering the This Morning chef with some incredible gifts including three genuine Picassos. But James says it was the supercar that spelled the end of the romance.
âIt wasnât as if it was my birthday or Christmas â it was just a spur of the moment thought,â James said as he opened up about their break-up in his 2009 memoir Driven.
âIt was a defining moment in our relationship. Deep down, I knew there was always going to be an imbalance.â
Producer Barbara Broccoli is stepping away from the Bond franchise (Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images for WFTV Awards)
âIn the end I said, âIf I want something, Iâll work for it. Just drop it or weâre going to fall out over thisâ.
James went on to date former Miss England Sally Kettle and then TV producer Louise Davies from 2011 - 2024, and is currently in a relationship with personal trainer Kim Johnson.
In a 2008 article, James suggested to the Mirror that his split from Barbara was ultimately âfor the bestâ.
He added: âTo walk away from someone you love and who loves you that much is hard.
âMaybe it was the daftest thing I have done in my life but it was probably the most sensible, too."
In his book, he added: "Looking back, the days that really stand out for me are those when it was just the two of us. We would switch off our mobile phones and it would be our time. The age gap didn't help matters in public. When we went to functions I felt uncomfortable when people looked at me, this nobody, and probably thought, 'He's with her for the money'."
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