CELEBRITY chef James Martin has no time for whinging when it comes to being confined to his country home in lockdown.
The star, 47, revealed his days are non-stop from 6am until 7pm as he helps feed his local village and plots a return to work by creating 30 recipes a week.
He told The Sun’s TV Mag: “It’s a bit surreal, isn’t it? But I’m not one to sit and mope around.
“I get up a 6am, have a shower, get changed – and I mean properly changed, not moping around in bloody pyjamas – and then I have a list of things every day to do, and I don’t finish until 7pm.”
James’s restaurant The Kitchen has helped co-ordinate vegetable deliveries around the country and he has also mass-produced pasta to give to his neighbours.
He explained: “Wellocks, for instance are now delivering 11,000 boxes of veg to people around the UK, which we helped with, and TRUEfoods had 2,000 pies they wanted to give away and asked me where I wanted them to go, so we sent them to hospices for the elderly and kids.
“Then I grabbed the pasta machine from the restaurant, a big industrial thing, managed to get a load of flour and eggs and made 600kg of pasta, enough for six to eight weeks for my whole village. I put it outside the gate every week and when the villagers come out for their daily walk they can come and grab some. Some of them have given me stuff back – one dropped some wild garlic, which I made pesto out of and put back out there.”
The chef recently came in for criticism from some viewers of his Saturday Morning show who accused him of breaking social distancing rules, unaware it was filmed before guidelines were put in place.
He called the reaction “pathetic” and admitted he doesn’t care for feedback to his shows.
family reunion
Katie Price says she burst into tears after seeing Princess & Junior again
JOE’S AGONY
Joe Wicks in hospital on a drip as he’s rushed in with agonising infected hand
GONE TOO SOON
Scrubs and Desperate Housewives actor Sam Lloyd dead at 56
‘RIDICULOUS’
Gordon Ramsay given warning by coastguard for repeatedly flouting lockdown
ED OF THE HOUSE
Inside Ed Sheeran’s incredible 27 property portfolio worth £57m
“People didn’t realise and it all kicked off,” he said. “It would be funny if it wasn’t so pathetic. I can’t be a**ed with them, and I don’t even respond to them.
“You just do what you do and give your very, very best. I’ve never given a s**t about what people think anyway.”
James has been on TV for more than two decades starring on the likes of Ready Steady Cook, Saturday Kitchen and a number of self-titled programmes.
He continued: “It may sound really weird but I’ve never actually watched a single show I’ve done. I get the feeling if I did, I’d change.
“I’d look at myself and think: ‘Oh s**t, I shouldn’t have worn that!’ or: “We won’t do that angle again, look at that double chin!’ Honestly, life is too bloody short. I love my job and I’m very privileged to do it and try my very best.”
James Martin’s Saturday Morning, Saturday, 9.25am, ITV
Got a story? email [email protected] or call us direct on 02077824220.
We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.