James Martin on 'defining moment' relationship with famous girlfriend was over after 'gift'

TV chef James Martin shared the 'defining moment' he knew his relationship with his famous girlfriend was over - after she tried to buy him a gift. The presenter, who is best known for hosting Saturday Morning with James Martin and Saturday Kitchen, was in a relationship with Hollywood producer Barbara Broccoli, who worked on the James Bond films, for four-and-a-half years after meeting at a charity auction before they split in 2008.

The 51-year-old chef admitted he had been very much in love with Barbara but fractures in the relationship started when she tried to buy him a £180,000 Aston Martin as a spontaneous gift. He explained he had realised then there was an imbalance in the relationship.

Discussing the £180,000 Aston Martin, he told the Daily Mail: "It wasn’t as if it was my birthday or Christmas – it was just a spur of the moment thought. 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’.

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He added: "It was a defining moment in our relationship. Deep down, I knew there was always going to be an imbalance." James also revealed that during the relationship Barbara had bought him three Picassos and a Lowry painting.

James described Barbara as the 'first real love of my life'. Addressing the split, he added: "Maybe it was the daftest thing I have done in my life but it was probably the most sensible, too."

After the split, James went on to date former Miss England Sally Kettle before dating producer Louise Davies, who he had met on Celebrity Who Wants To Be A Millionaire in 2011.

They split in December after 12 years together.