James Martin has discussed the “unfriendly” atmosphere in London after his car was smashed up thugs.
In May, the TV chef was left horrified when yobs broke the rear windscreen of his car in “broad daylight” in central London, declaring that the city was “broken”.
The 53-year-old ITV star was so shaken that he brought his dog for “protection” the next time he visited the capital.
Now, he has opened up about the sense of danger in London compared to Yorkshire, where he was raised on a 100-acre farm within the private Castle Howard estate.
The James Martin's Saturday Morning star joked that if you speak to a stranger in London they think you’re going to “mug” them, due to the rise in theft.
“It’s the people that make the place,” he told Food and Travel magazine, while discussing his love of Yorkshire.
Martin went on: “They’re very honest and much friendlier. In London, if you speak to people they think you’re going to mug them.”
The former Saturday Kitchen Live host also joked that he fears he’ll be “lynched” if he doesn’t eventually move back to Yorkshire.
Martin currently divides his time among the Cotswolds, Manchester, and Hampshire.
His main base is a seven-bedroom home in Hampshire, where he films James Martin’s Saturday Morning in a specially constructed kitchen.
He also owns a restaurant, The Kitchen, at the nearby Chewton Glen Hotel and Spa in New Milton
Asked about a potential return to God’s Own Country, Martin quipped: "I'll get lynched if I don't end up in Yorkshire. I love Yorkshire."
The chef’s desire to return home comes after he revealed he was targeted by vandals in London.
Martin shared a photo of his car’s smashed up rear windscreen on Instagram and 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…”
He added: “Next time I’m bringing the Mali’s,” in reference to his two Belgian Malinois dogs.
The TV star stayed true to his word and brought one of the pooches with him on his next trip.
He shared a photo of his pet wearing a black “working dog” harness while sitting on the pavement and captioned it: “Protection.”
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.
