‘I go further, higher and deeper!'

James Martin on how he hopes his road map to British food is comfort TV for the nation

- REBECCA FLETCHER

JAMES MARTIN’S ISLANDS TO HIGHLANDS

LAST ONE MON-FRI / ITV / 2PM / EPS 16-20 of 20 / COOKERY

TV chef James Martin says his latest foodie travel show is the perfect antidote to the unsettling times we’re currently living in.

‘It’s a release, isn’t it?’ explains James, chatting to TV Times from his home in Hampshire. ‘You can’t watch the news for hours – it will send you crazy – and there’s only so much on Netflix, so my series, showing all the beautiful places on our doorstep, is a welcome release. And much needed!’

We couldn’t agree more, James. With the country observing social distancing and stuck at home, unable to travel, the next best thing is watching the ever-affable TV chef visit far-flung, rarely-seen places stuffed full of culinary treasures. In James Martin’s Islands to Highlands, he’s bringing a daily dose of the glorious British Isles into our living rooms.

His month-long gastronomic journey began in the Isles of Scilly and has so far seen James celebrate the nation’s finest ingredients (and food producers) in places such as Jersey, Guernsey, the Peak District, Yorkshire Dales, Wales and Northumberland. This week, for the final leg of the series (previous parts are all available on ITV Hub), James travels to the Scottish Highlands and beyond – and he reckons things just get better...