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news
james martin.jpgJames Martin chokes under pressure and apologises to the cycling world
Celebrity chef James Martin has issued an apology on his website after angering cyclists throughout the world with tales of recklessly endangering cyclists in a Tesla electric sports car. The star of Saturday Kitchen raised the ire of Bradley Wiggins and Robbie McEwen amongst other notable names, and has been forced to retract his comments.
“Each Saturday, a big black truck appears at the bottom of my road, with bikes stuck to the roof and rear. Out of it step a bunch of City-boy ponces in fluorescent Spider-Man outfits, shades, bum bags and stupid cleated shoes, who then pedal around our narrow lanes four abreast with their private parts alarmingly apparent. Do they enjoy it? They never smile. I'm sure they just come here to wind me up.”, he wrote in the Mail on Sunday
“Twenty minutes into my test drive", Martin reported, "I pulled round a leafy bend, enjoying the birdsong - and spotted those damned Spider-Man cyclists. Knowing they wouldn't hear me coming, I stepped on the gas, waited until the split second before I overtook them, then gave them an almighty blast on the horn at the exact same time I passed them at speed.
“The look of sheer terror as they tottered into the hedge was the best thing I've ever seen in my rear-view mirror. I think this could be the car for me."
Martin's 'review' was widely condemned by the cycling community, with the CTC urging the cyclists involved to get in touch with their legal team. Tesla also distanced themselves from the TV chef, stating that they wouldn't be using the review in their publicity and noting that they sold cars to a 'disproportionate' number of environmentalists and cyclists. The Mail later cut the story on their website to remove the paragraphs about Martin's brush with the cyclists, though they kept the rest of his ill-considered diatribe.
Bradley Wiggins was quick to condemn James Martin via Twitter, stating in his usual sardonic style a "Meal suggestion for this Saturday Kitchen for James Martin, Spotted DICK!". Robbie McEwen was even less generous, encouraging cyclists to "either key [Martin's] car or punch him in the face".
Now Martin has piped up to apologise, stating that it was "never his intention to offend" cyclists, although it's hard to imagine what else he thought the reaction would be. He doesn't state whether he was telling the truth about the incident or whether it was embellished for comic effect; presumably the latter, since he states that he doesn't "condone any form of reckless driving"
James Martin's statement
Regarding the The Tesla Roadster Article...
May I take this opportunity to apologize for any offence I have caused through the article in last weekend’s Mail on Sunday. It was never my intention to offend the many cyclists who share our roads across the country. What was intended to be a humorous piece was clearly misjudged. Further more I do not condone any form of reckless driving.
Once again, I am sincerely sorry for any upset caused in relation to this article.
James Martin
Dave is a founding father of road.cc, having previously worked on Cycling Plus and What Mountain Bike magazines back in the day. He also writes about e-bikes for our sister publication ebiketips. He's won three mountain bike bog snorkelling World Championships, and races at the back of the third cats.
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19 comments
i recently bought the great british village show cookbook I will be returning it I want nothing to do with this idiot now and I certainally do not wish to put money in his pocket
I guess perhaps the worst insult I could offer this guy is to say that I've never heard of him, which is true. So it seems he might be a cook or something, do you think he'd be any good at catering on an Audax ride?
I think his usp is that he specialises in puddings - not much good for me, as a dedicated savouries man, but there you go.
Perhaps James Martin's inconsiderate manners can be condoned. After all he was driving a 'green' car even if it was coloured red. And he did teach a valuable lesson: ears are never a substitute for a keen pair of eyes and a supple neck. Lesson acknowledged?
Fattie James Martin would probably have a heart attack if he cycled to the end of the road to buy the tub of lard that his appearance would suggest forms part of his daily diet.
This so-called apology isn't worth a pinch. His web geek probably posted it for him using a template sent by his agent without him even knowing.
Actions speak louder than words. Are you going to get on yer bike James and prove you're genuinely sorry?
No, didn't think so.
Interestingly enough - James Martin is an anagram of his three favourite things
Mint, Jam, Arse
Amazing!
… and we'd hear him coming now that he's handed the keys to the Tesla back.
Just wondering though whether we shouldn't tone it down a bit now, obviously he's a fool, but there's a lot more worth getting angry about going on in the world than some non-entity chef going in for a bit of willy waving in the Daily Mail. We've made our point time to move on otherwise we risk coming across as having all the sense of humour and perspective of a lynch mob.
Or maybe I'm going soft.
Damn, what am I going to do with all these pitchforks and flaming torches that I've just ordered?
Fairy snuff, although I'm a bit tired of nobs like him getting away with a half-hearted pseudo apology.
could he be the first ever man worthy of his own critical mass? I am sure we could rouse enough people to cycle round and round his country pile?
Obviously I wouldn't advocate pelting him with eggs or anything, but I understand from the rather pointless Saturday Kitchen that he likes his omelettes done rare...
what a c**k.
well said joe .... couldn't have put it better.
Idiot Chef James Martin is persona non grata in the USA. And be absolutely certain you never ever visit Tallahassee, Florida...never...ever...we don't want people like you. And forget the apology...what a joke.
What a stupid, idiotic, dangerous man.
Joe Mizereck
joe [at] 3feetplease.com
www.3feetplease.com
Does he share a PR with Matthew Parris? That looked like a standardised off the shelf cut'n'paste apology to me. I reckon the Mail/Torygraph/Times issue it to their overpaid columnists along with their contracts.
Hear this fatso, gutless apology NOT accepted.
Best thing to do is to cycle up and down outside his house until he shows his face and see how he reacts when 500 cyclists point at him and shout, "You fat liar."
where does he live and when shall we meet
As expected his publicists put the pressure on and produced this. Certainly not from the heart I would imagine.
I bet he reckons he has got away with it now too. I would love to see the Old Bill knocking at his door and having a word about dangerous driving. That would scare the triple-chinned so and so...
Yeah, I still reckon he made it all up… wishful thinking on his part, so if the Old Bill visit they could add wasting police time to the ticket