James Martin has revealed he brought his dog to London for “protection” after his car was smashed up by vandals in the capital.
In May, the TV chef was left horrified when yobs broke the rear windscreen of his car in “broad daylight” in central London.
The 53-year-old ITV star had vowed to “bring the Malis” next time he travelled from his home in Hampshire to London - referring to his two pet dogs, who are Belgian Malinoises.
And Martin stayed true to his word on Saturday, sharing a photo of one of his pooches wearing a black “working dog” harness while sitting on the pavement.
“Protection,” the James Martin’s Saturday Morning host simply captioned the snap on Instagram.
Martin previously praised his two dogs in a 2022 post, writing: “I have to say I have had dogs all my life but these two are unbelievably clever. Thanks to the trainer for doing all the work.”
Weeks earlier, the celebrity cook highlighted the dangers of “broken” London after he and several of his friends were targeted by thugs in the same week.
Sharing a photo of his smashed up car on Instagram, he wrote: “So in a week two of my friends cars got stolen, one other mate got mugged and now I had this happen all in broad daylight all in central London.
“London is broken big time… next time I’m bringing the Malis.”
He did not reveal whether anything had been stolen from the car boot.
Supportive fans were quick to rally around the TV host, who made his name fronting BBC's Saturday Kitchen Live for ten years from 2006 to 2016.
One fan wrote: “So sorry this has happened to you. The whole of the UK is the same, the laws need to change and we need more police on the streets."
Another posted: “This is shocking, it’s vandalism going unchecked. It’s not only the cost of repair, it’s the inconvenience, and if you’re like me and love your car, it’s very personal and heartbreaking.”
Away from Saturday morning cookery shows, Martin has become one of TV's most familiar faces presenting James Martin's Great British Adventure, Islands to Highlands and James Martin’s French Adventure.
