Saturday Morning star James Martin previously spoke out about his time at school, admitting he found himself “in tears” every week.
The celebrity chef, 52, has been a favourite amongst viewers and a staple on screens for over two decades. From hosting cooking-themed shows to becoming a best-selling author, James – who is on Saturday Morning this weekend (December 28) – has not stopped over the years.
However, when James was a youngster, he “hated” his time at school, revealing he knew he wanted to be a chef “from the age of eight”.
Saturday Morning host James Martin ‘hated’ school
Earlier this year, James appeared on the Spooning podcast with Mark Wogan. The TV star opened up about school days, revealing he would be “in tears” every week.
I failed all my exams at school. I didn’t enjoy it.
“I hated it. I failed all my exams at school. I didn’t enjoy it. I loved the cooking side of it but I couldn’t do it academically. Because you had to pass things, these full exams. And I would never pass an exam in my life,” he said.
James continued, “I left school with no qualifications. I’m not proud of it but I used to hate Wednesdays. Wednesday [was a] spelling test.”
James Martin ‘in tears’
He then recounted the weekly ordeal: “I’d be in tears on a Wednesday night, I’d have 20,000 words to write because I knew that I would get every single one of them wrong.”
James also spoke about his struggles with dyslexia: “[I was a] massive dyslexic, never read a book in my life apart from I think Peter and Jane level B2 was probably the last one I read when I was at primary school.
“I just longed to be cooking and so hand-in-hand with being at school, I was working every weekend.”
James Martin on school days
James explained: “In the summer holidays when everybody would just chill out, I used to go France and I was working at two-star Michelin places and chateaus and places like that.
“All I ever wanted to be was to be a chef from the age of eight years old so I just needed that spark.”
James Martin’s Saturday Morning Morning airs at 9:30am on Saturdays on ITV.
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