James Martin makes a public appearance at BBC Good Food Show weeks after announcing career break amid cancer battle

James Martin made a public appearance at the BBC Good Food Show on Friday – after announcing a career break amid his cancer battle earlier this month.

The TV chef, 51, appeared in good spirits as he prepared some food and even took in a discussion on the Let’s Talk Stage at Birmingham’s NEC venue.

The cuisine icon’s appearance came only a few weeks after he stepped down from his Saturday Morning with James Martin show on ITV.

Before working with ITV, James was known for presenting the BBC cookery series Saturday Kitchen from 2006 until 2016.

Joking with the Birmingham audience on Friday, the chef announced he would be cooking three dishes, including his take on a KFC-style chicken – which he hilariously dubbed a JFC. 

At work: James Martin made a public appearance at the BBC Good Food Show on Friday – after announcing a career break amid his cancer battle earlier this month 

Looking good: The TV chef, 51, appeared in good spirits as he prepared some food on the Let’s Talk Stage at Birmingham’s NEC venue

The TV star looked suave in a Polo black shirt and denim, teamed with a grey blazer.

James looked in his element behind the cooker, as he showed off his typical charisma in front of the camera while preparing the delicious meal.

‘I don’t use an air fryer. In my opinion they should be banned,’ the chef reportedly told the audience candidly.

‘He then added, to the laughs from the audience: ‘I don’t even want to speak to anyone that has an air fryer.’ 

Earlier this month James shared an update on his cancer battle with fans, revealing he was ‘going on a little break’ from work in the coming weeks.

The TV chef took his tour show to Liverpool’s Philharmonic Hall on Monday and gave a heartfelt message to fans about his health while on stage.

According to The Daily Mirror, he said: ‘On a personal note, I just wanted to say thank you for 30 years of television.

‘For me personally, I’ve been through a lot of s**t with cancer but I’m getting sorted at the end of next month.

Comeback? The cuisine icon’s appearance came only a few weeks after he stepped down from his Saturday Morning with James Martin show on ITV

Signature recipe: Joking with the Birmingham audience on Friday, the chef announced he would be cooking three dishes, including his take on a KFC-style chicken

Smart: The TV star looked suave in a Polo black shirt and denim, teamed with a grey blazer

Chef: James looked in his element behind the cooker, as he showed off his typical charisma in front of the camera while preparing the delicious meal

Joke: While preparing a tasty meal, the TV chef poked fun: ‘I don’t use an air fryer. In my opinion they should be banned. I don’t even want to speak to anyone that has an air fryer’

‘I will be back fighting at the end of February but I’m going on a little bit of a break to get that sorted.’

The regular on ITV’s This Morning added: ‘I just wanted to say thank you for all your support and all your messages.’

Martin landed in hot water earlier this year when his foul-mouthed rant at his TV crew was laid bare by an extraordinary leaked tape recorded shortly after his shock cancer diagnosis.

The TV presenter, who is at the centre of a bullying storm following allegations he intimidated staff on his food show James Martin’s Spanish Adventure, revealed that he had an operation to remove the facial cancer after his diagnosis in 2018.

The shock admission came after an extraordinary tape was leaked to The Sun where Martin berated his TV crew in a foul-mouthed rant over a blocked drain.

He told the newspaper that the outburst was the culmination of a string of unfortunate events in his life, which began with the death of his grandfather, then was followed by a home invasion by masked burglars, and finally his cancer diagnosis.

He said: ‘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.’

The abusive rant which happened during the production of his show, James Martin’s Saturday Morning, took place on a heated Zoom call in 2018 – the same year he had surgery for his cancer.

At one point James can be heard telling his team they should be ‘f***ing fried’, while in another outburst he suggests they should take their lunch break standing in the ‘f***ing rain’ as punishment.’

Afterwards, The Daily Mail exclusively revealed he could face being axed by ITV after senior bosses were left furious at his behaviour.

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