Who is James Martin’s ex-girlfriend, Barbara Broccoli? Meet the Bond producer, 63, who wooed the 51-year-old chef at auction but split £180,000 Aston Martin gift

James Martin has announced his split from his partner of 12 years, Louise Davies, and has moved on with Arun Nayar’s ex-wife, personal trainer, Kim Johnson.

But the TV chef once had a Hollywood romance with James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli, who was 12 years his senior.

The pair dated for four and a half years with James, 51, later revealing the real reason behind their split in 2008 after previously calling her ‘the love of his life’.

As James moves on with Kim, the ex-wife of businessman Arun Nayar, who was previously married to actress Elizabeth Hurley from 2007 to 2011, MailOnline takes a look at his past relationship with producer Barbara, 63.

Who is Barbara Broccoli?

Barbara – who, along with half-brother Michael G. Wilson, has managed the James Bond franchise since 1995.

She began working in the Bond series at the age of 17, working in the publicity department of The Spy Who Loved Me (1977).

A few years later she was assistant director on Octopussy (1983) and became associate producer of the film The Living Daylights (1987).

Her most important role was as producer of the Bond films starring Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig.

Last year, Barbara said there was a “long way to go” in casting Craig’s replacement.

The actor called it quits two years ago after a fifteen-year stint spanning six films: Casino Royale (2006), Quantum of Solace (2008), Skyfall (2012), Specter (2015) and No Time To Die (2021).

How did they meet?

The chef and the film boss first met at a charity auction in 2001 when Barbara, then 41, paid £18,000 to have him cook her a meal when he was 29 years old and a star on the rise.

They hit it off immediately and James cooked for her again at her birthday party, leading to a blossoming romance.

Reflecting on their romance, James previously wrote for the Mail: ‘Six weeks later I visited Barbara to prepare a meal for her and five friends. The evening was hilarious – and we just hit it off.

‘I didn’t know she was co-producer of the current James Bond films with her half-brother Michael G. Wilson. I just thought she was a wonderful woman.

‘The next day I told my then personal assistant Erica about the evening. She decided to play Cupid and called Barbara’s PA. It turned out that Barbara’s PA was trying to organize a surprise for her birthday, so I offered to cook.

‘Thus began my longest relationship, the most surreal, exciting and unforgettable four and a half years of my life.;

Hollywood lifestyle

While James was doing well at Ready Steady Cook and had books published, Barbara was at the ‘very top’ of Hollywood.

He recalled, “We had been together about three months when she invited me to go to Los Angeles with her. Her house was huge; the living room alone was twice the size of my house.

‘What am I doing here?’ I kept thinking. “How did this happen?”

“One day, while Barbara was away, I opened the door to a man dressed in a black suit, holding a silver plate with an envelope.

“Inside was a set of car keys with a prancing horse on the key ring and a note from Barbara that said: ‘Enjoy Beverly Hills, see you later, love B.’

On the ride was a silver Ferrari 360 Spyder, exactly the same as the black 360 I once had, but with a soft top that, let’s be honest, you have to have in Beverly Hills.

Divide

Yet it came to an end in 2008. And James wasn’t shy about speaking out about the issues they faced in their relationship.

He admitted that he was “a bit of a late starter when it came to women” and noted that when he accompanied Barbara to glitzy film premieres and hung out with the stars of Bond films, he felt “out of my depth, a spare part.” .

James – who had since moved on to Miss England 2001, Sally Kettle – explained to the Daily Mail in October 2008 how their age difference and wealth were getting in the way of their relationship.

Barbara had showered the chef with gifts, including a Picasso painting, and had once offered to buy him a £180,000 Aston Martin, but James confessed that his ‘manly pride’ stopped him from accepting such extravagant purchases.

James noted that while their age difference did not bother him, as he “always liked independent women,” it “didn’t help matters in public.”

He confessed: ‘When we went to events, I felt uncomfortable when people looked at me, this nobody, and probably thought, “He’s with her for the money.”

Despite the obstacles they faced, James insisted: “Barbara was the first real love of my life. I still think about her a lot and always will.’

He described their breakup poignantly, writing: ‘It’s hard to walk away from someone you love and who loves you so much.

‘Maybe it was the stupidest thing I’ve done in my life, but it was probably the wisest thing. Ultimately, I think this was the best thing, not only for Barbara and me, but for her children as well.”

To proceed

After his divorce from Barbara, James moved on to Miss England 2001, Sally Kettle, in the same year, before settling down with Louise for 12 years.

The TV chef, famed for his love life, quietly parted ways with his long-term partner Louise Davies in December, but the pair have remained ‘firm friends’.

Despite being together for more than a decade, James rarely spoke about Louise, only to admit that marriage was off the table for the couple as he was “quite happy” as he was and “didn’t feel the need to spend 60,000 dollars per day’. .’

James shocked fans this week when MailOnline exclusively revealed he had quietly split from his girlfriend of 12 years Louise and moved on with Kim Johnson.

The celebrity chef, 51, and his new love interest were spotted looking at watches at a store in Mayfair on Saturday.

Kim is the ex-wife of businessman Arun Nayar, who was previously married to actress Elizabeth Hurley from 2007 to 2011.

Kim and Arun first got together after their split in 2011 and tied the knot in July 2016, but divorced the following year.

However, they kept in touch after their divorce and have been photographed together at events in recent years.