James Martin is back on the box today (Monday July 24) as ITV’s schedule accommodates the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
His Saturday Morning show was bumped over the weekend for a similar reason as England’s Lionesses played Haiti.
It’s not clear when James is expected to return in his regular slot – but until then, he’ll be popping up on ITV in the afternoons every weekday, apart from Wednesday.
Monday’s bonus instalment of the much-loved telly chef and change to regular programming sees him heading off on a Great British Adventure. But James has previously opened up about another incident that saw him go through a change – a decision brought about by a shocking experience he endured.
James Martin news
Now 51, James spoke about a heartbreaking events that led him to reconsider his work schedule during a TV appearance in 2017.
James revealed at the time why he’d decided to quit the BBC’s Saturday Kitchen series a year earlier after a decade.
The Yorkshire-born star said on Good Morning Britain how he examined his own life after sadly witnessing another person lose theirs.
James explained at the time how a stranger died in front of him during an awards show.
‘Threw everything into perspective’
GMB co-host Susanna Reid said to him during the interview: “It was the sudden death of a stranger that threw everything into perspective.”
“Totally, yeah,” replied James.
He stood up onstage and collapsed and passed away in front of me.
“I was chatting to him and he stood up onstage and collapsed and passed away in front of me. And that was a year ago, and that was a decision to change.”
James went on to reflect: “And I look back at all the work I had done. I had four days off that year and five days off the year before and I thought: ‘Something’s gotta change.’ And that was partly the reason why I gave up the Saturday morning show.”
‘Work was fundamental to it’
During a subsequent interview a year later on Loose Women, James once again addressed how the death affected him.
He admitted it made him reevaluate his priorities.
“Work was fundamental to it,” James said, when asked about the change he made. “I hadn’t had a day off for several years – two days off together for nearly three years.”
He added how the person who died was the same age as him, and had the “same work ethic, you know, really keen on work”.
James continued: “He died before he hit the floor. I got back on the plane and thought: ‘Now I’m going to readdress the balance.'”
Read more: James Martin ‘chuffed to bits’ as he celebrates huge honour: ‘Getting this means so much’
James Martin’s Great British Adventure airs on ITV today, Monday July 24, from 2.30pm.
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