Saturday Kitchen's Matt Tebbutt has opened up about the difficult decision he and his wife Lisa had to make, giving up one of their passions as it became too "relentless". The couple ran the Foxhunter Inn in Monmouthshire, Wales, for 14 years while Matt was also juggling a busy TV career. Eventually, they were forced to relinquish the pub as the pair came close to exhaustion.

Speaking to the Western Mail, Matt said: "It was a very different sort of relentless business. We didn't take a break." The BBC star admitted that despite the charm of country pubs, they require significant support as they are incredibly hard to maintain.

Many of the recipes in Matt's new cookbook, Pub Food, were inspired by local Monmouthshire produce and dishes they used to serve at the pub. However, the chef expressed concern over the future of local UK pubs, acknowledging that many are having a "really s*** time" currently. The 50 year old chef highlighted the struggles faced by these establishments, including soaring prices, energy costs, food costs, and staffing issues, the Express reports.

He said: "They're shutting by stupid numbers per week. It's something worth trying to save. "People need to remember that they're not always going to be there.

And if you've got a good one then go and support it. They are one of the last great melting pots in life." The TV chef also shared how spending time in pubs keeps him down-to-earth, as fame doesn't matter there.

He explained: "I will disappear on a Friday.