James Martin reveals how a knife scarred his thumb for life
Keen chef James Martin appeared to make a rather colossal faux pas as he shared a story of using a sharp knife when he was still a child.
The ITV star paused his Saturday Morning programme to warn fans it’s “not a good idea” to take a hobby knife to fix a toy Ford Capri – no matter how much he enjoyed it at the time. Using a similar knife to prepare food in his kitchen on-air, James made sure to remind fans not to repeat his mistake.
Preparing a roast pork dish that had his fans and guests “salivating”, he demonstrated the correct cutting technique before using a carving fork to carve the delicious meat, covered in a crispy crackling.
James explained: “It is quite thick, but what you want to do is get right in there so it opens it up and becomes easier to carve as well. This is where you’re going to get this amazing crackling.”
He went on to issue an urgent warning for viewers watching at home – and revealing the nasty scar he received from using a similar knife in his younger years. James said: “Be careful with this knife, whatever you do.
“I’ve scarred [myself] for life with this. I did this when I was a kid, taking my Cabriolet… well I had a normal little Capri, a little toy Capri, and I wanted to turn it into a Cabriolet Capri and I used one of these. Eight years old. That’s not a good idea!”
The telly cook was joined by fellow chefs Dipna Anand and Daniel Galmiche in the kitchen, with guest Simon Reeve joining him later in the programme to discuss his career as an explorer.
As James sliced the pork, Dipna urged Daniel: “Don’t look at me! I’m dribbling!” – leaving him nonplussed.
The scar on his thumb isn’t the only one James has received over the years. The star was forced to undergo surgery after being diagnosed with skin cancer, explaining in 2023: “I was then diagnosed with cancer on my face and I had to have surgery, which I couldn't do until two days before Christmas when we had finished filming.
"Since then it has returned on several occasions and I have to have regular treatments."
He further told Lorraine during his recovery: “The stitches are falling out. As you know, the last time I was on, I was in the middle of operations.
"But as we speak, the stitches are falling out of my body at the moment. So yeah, that’s all clear – onwards and upwards!” he said in April 2024.
He was first diagnosed with facial cancer in 2018, taking a break from his TV work to focus on his health battle – confirming: “I’ve been through a lot of sh** with cancer.”
