James Martin on Loose Women (Credit: ITV)
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Saturday Morning host James Martin left school with no qualifications: ‘I’m not proud of it’

'I'd be in tears on a Wednesday night'

Saturday Morning star James Martin previously spoke out about his time at school, admitting he found himself ā€œin tearsā€ 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 – has not stopped over the years.

However, when James was a youngster, he ā€œhatedā€ his time at school, revealing he knew he wanted to be a chef ā€œfrom the age of eightā€.

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James Martin on This Morning
James opened up about his school days (Credit: ITV)

Saturday Morning host James Martin ā€˜hated’ school

Last year, James appeared on the Spooning podcast with Mark Wogan. The TV star opened up about school days, revealing he would be ā€œin tearsā€ every week.

I failed all my exams at school. I didn’t enjoy it.

ā€œI 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,ā€ he said.

James continued: ā€œI left school with no qualifications. I’m not proud of it but I used to hate Wednesdays. Wednesday [was a] spelling test.ā€

James Martin speaking on Lorraine
James said he was often in tears due to the school work (Credit: ITV)

James Martin ā€˜in tears’

He then recounted the weekly ordeal: ā€œI’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.ā€

James also spoke about his struggles with dyslexia: ā€œ[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.

ā€œI just longed to be cooking and so hand-in-hand with being at school, I was working every weekend.ā€

James explained: ā€œIn 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.ā€


Joey Crutchley
Freelance Writer