James began his culinary career at the grand Castle Howard in York alongside his father, where he cooked for the Queen Mother at the age of 12!

A well-known television personality, voted one of the most eligible bachelors in Britain by Company magazine, James has enjoyed an extensive and varied career to date. He first appeared on our screens in 1996 on Ready Steady Cook - and is still a regular guest, and has filmed several of his own series for the Carlton Food Network, including Simply Fish and Entertaining with James. He has published numerous books and also gave his name to a range of kitchen appliances as well as co-owning a kitchen design and manufacturing company in St. Albans.

James appealed to an even wider audience when he reached the semi-finals in the hugely popular Strictly Come Dancing.