TV chef James Martin is reportedly preparing to walk down the aisle at 53 — a dramatic change of heart for a man who once insisted marriage didn’t interest him “in the slightest”.
The Saturday Kitchen star is said to have popped the question to his girlfriend, personal trainer Kim Johnson, 39, nearly two years after the couple began dating. Friends say wedding bells are now firmly on the cards — despite James’ long-standing resistance to tying the knot.
Sources claim the pair, who made their relationship official in March 2024, are “happier than ever”, with one insider summing it up simply: “When you know, you know.”
The engagement marks a huge U-turn for the chef, who previously declared that marriage held no appeal for him. But those closest to James say everything changed after meeting Kim. One insider told The Sun that while friends may smile at how long it took James to get there, the transformation has been obvious, adding that he’s “never been happier” and that the couple are “wonderful together”.
Pals had previously questioned whether James would ever soften his stance, especially following his split from long-term partner Louise Davies in December 2023 after 12 years together. Sources admitted the new chapter could be difficult for Louise, particularly with James embracing a more public and open approach to love — a far cry from the fiercely private man he once was.
James has also offered rare glimpses into life with Kim, joking that she finds him “a nightmare to be around” due to his obsessive attention to detail. Speaking on Good Housekeeping’s My Life in a Biscuit Tin podcast, he laughed that even his girlfriend has noticed his intensity, especially since undergoing refractive lens surgery. As James put it, he now sees “everything”, joking that he can practically see “around corners”.
From a man who once shut the door on marriage entirely to a groom-to-be preparing for a new chapter, friends say James Martin’s love life has taken its most surprising turn yet.
