James Martin has quipped he would have to “pay someone a backhander” to turn his dream ITV travel show into reality, after disagreeing with bosses over which country he should explore next. The TV chef has revealed he pitched the idea of a travel series to Japan , so he could experience the cuisine and culture of the Asian nation. The 52-year-old revealed he's had the nation “on his list” for a while.
But due to work commitments and the Covid pandemic, he found himself missing his chance to visit. And, after suggesting it to top dogs at the channel, he found himself travelling to Spain instead, for James Martin’s Spanish Adventure. The Saturday Morning presenter has previously toured France, The Highlands, and America for his ITV series.
But, on The Travel Diaries podcast with Holly Rubenstein last year, he revealed he still dreams of Japan. He said: “I’d love to go to Japan, it’s on my list. I’ve been close, been close with work, and then Covid hit, and I couldn’t make the gig and I keep saying to ITV that a travelog thing to Japan would be amazing, and they said, 'we’ll do Spain again'.
.. ‘alright, okay’," he sighed.
“I really want to do it and I’m doing Spain in a similar sort of guise really. France, I know, America, I know, and that kind of stuff, and Spain is my next adventure. “I don’t know a thing about Spain.
I know the quality of the olive oils and the hams and that sort of stuff, I’m just going around like a Brit foodie saying, �.