ITV signs up popular farmer to front new cooking show to replace James Martin after chef took TV break amid cancer battle

By Wikirub On Feb 9, 2024

ITV has signed up a popular farmer to front a brand new cooking show, to replace James Martin, after he stepped back from TV amid his cancer battle.

Jimmy’s Farm star, Jimmy Doherty, 48, will host a new five-episode cooking show, titled Jimmy’s Taste of Florida.

The series will see him head across the pond to Florida, and visit 10 state locations, including popular destinations like Miami, Tampa, Universal Orlando, and lesser known areas including Anna Maria Island and St. Petersburg.

Viewers will see Jimmy share food stories with an astronaut at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex and race the fastest oyster shucker in the USA in Panama City Beach.

The show kicks off on Monday, with Jimmy celebrating on Instagram with a slew of snaps from behind-the-scenes.

ITV has signed up a popular farmer to front a brand new cooking show, to replace James Martin , after he stepped back from TV amid his cancer battle (James pictured in June)

Jimmy’s Farm star, Jimmy Doherty, 48, will host a new five-episode cooking show, titled Jimmy’s Taste of Florida (pictured)

Voicing his excitement, he wrote: ‘I love the USA but didn’t know Florida well, so I jumped at the chance to explore a favourite holiday destination for Brits through its food…and it didn’t disappoint!

‘From boiled peanuts to Michelin-starred fine dining and everything in between, Florida has a great food story to tell.

‘I’m a cook rather than a chef, so I was on the lookout for simple, accessible, easy dishes that anyone can have a go at, and of course, I met some great characters along the way too.’

Jimmy’s hiring comes after celebrity chef James, 51, announced he would be taking a break from TV until the end of February.

In November last year, he gave a heartfelt update to fans about his health while on stage at Liverpool’s Philharmonic Hall for his tour show.

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.

‘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. I just wanted to say thank you for all your support and all your messages.’

Viewers will see Jimmy share food stories with an astronaut at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex and race the fastest oyster shucker in the USA in Panama City Beach

The show kicks off on Monday, with Jimmy celebrating on Instagram with a slew of snaps from behind-the-scenes

James 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 James 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 ten-minute tirade at staff happened during the production of his show, James Martin’s Saturday Morning, and took place on a heated Zoom call in 2018 – the same year he had surgery for his cancer.

In the audio recording released by The Sun, James swore 42 times and said his staff should be ‘f***ing fired’ and ordered them to take their lunch break standing in the ‘f***ing rain’.

James said he ‘wholly regrets’ getting angry, and agreed ‘lessons have been learned.’

Jimmy’s hiring comes after celebrity chef James , 51, announced he would be taking a break from TV until the end of February (pictured in 2021)

Last year, he landed in hot water once again after being reprimanded by ITV bosses over allegations he bullied and intimidated staff on his food show.

The broadcaster confirmed that it had spoken to the star after concerns were raised over the treatment of crew members during the filming of James Martin’s Spanish Adventure in May.

After investigating the matter, ITV chiefs told the programme’s production company Blue Marlin that changes would be made immediately, online news website Deadline reports.

Sources at ITV told the Mail that bosses would be taking a ‘close interest in any future filming’ featuring the chef, whose affable demeanour has earned him a huge fan base.

JAMES’ APOLOGY IN FULL

‘Firstly, I would like to publicly and sincerely apologise to the crew involved in this incident, as I did at the time. I have always strived to keep my private life private.

‘However since details of a conversation, which was secretly recorded in January 2018, are now five years later being made public by a former member of our production team, I have decided to make a statement.

‘The end of 2017 was one of the most fraught and difficult periods of my life. I was dealing with the death of my last living grandparent, my grandfather, and on account of work commitments I could not attend his funeral.

‘Later that month I was burgled at night by a team of masked men, who entered my house while my partner Louise was at home alone and I was away working. I was devastated that she had to go through that alone.

‘On top of this 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’

‘After all this stress I was in a very emotional state, and when after filming in early January 2018 I discovered my home had been flooded while filming, I was extremely upset.

‘I can only say I am human and following a build-up of personal life pressure, I admit that I overreacted regarding the damage to my home.’