PR and crisis management expert, Edward Coram-James said James Martin will bounce back from bullying claims – as ITV learn from Schofield fallout’
A crisis management expert says James Martin’s career won’t suffer any long-term damage after he issued a ‘robust apology’ to crew involved in an ‘incident’ that saw him accused of bullying.
James Martin, the renowned TV chef, has recently found himself at the centre of controversy due to allegations of bullying and intimidating behaviour towards his crew members. The leaked audio snippet of a heated exchange during a Zoom call in 2018 has caused a stir among the public and the media.
Although many believe just like Phillip Schofield fall from grace that James Martin career will be over, crisis management expert Edward Coram-James believes that James Martin’s career will not suffer long-term damage.
The bullying allegations against James Martin stem from a leaked audio snippet in which he can be heard expressing his anger and frustration over a blocked drain at his home during the filming of his show, James Martin’s Saturday Morning.
The heated exchange involved the use of explicit language and threats of firing senior staff members. The leaked tape, obtained by The Sun, shed light on an intense moment that took place behind the scenes.
In the leaked tape, obtained by The Sun, James can be heard saying: “I am absolutely furious, beyond belief. It’s my home, it’s my house. It’s my f**ing house. Nobody listens, nobody f**king listens do they. I will not put up with this, this is b*llocks. A driveway that cost me £26,000 is f**ked because somebody put a load of oil in the f**king bin that’s now dripped everywhere, and f**king ruined my driveway. If this was somebody’s house, you would end up with a massive bill.
During the 10-minute outburst, James asks the crew to show his property “more f***ing respect”, before warning “senior members of our staff will get f**king fired because I’m sick of it”.
In response to the allegations, James Martin issued a public apology addressing the crew members involved in the incident. He acknowledged his overreaction and expressed remorse for his behaviour.
James also provided context for his actions, revealing that he was going through a difficult period in his personal life, including the death of his grandfather, a burglary, and a cancer diagnosis.
Taking to Twitter last Thursday, James Martin wrote: “Firstly, I would like to publicly and sincerely apologise to the crew involved in this incident, as I did at the time. I have always strived to keep my private life private.
“However, since details of a conversation, which was secretly recorded in January 2018, are now five years later being made public by a former member of our production team, I have decided to make a statement.” He explained: “The end of 2017 was one of the most fraught and difficult periods of my life.
“I was dealing with the death of my last living grandparent, my grandfather, and on account of work commitments, I could not attend his funeral. Later that month I was burgled at night by a team of masked men, who entered my house while my partner Louise was at home alone and I was away working. I was devastated that she had to go through alone.”
He went on to discuss his cancer diagnosis telling fans: “I was then diagnosed with cancer on my face, and I had to have surgery, which I couldn’t do until two days before Christmas when we had finished filming. Since then, it has returned on several occasions, and I have to have regular treatments.
“After all this stress I was in a very emotional state, and when after filming in early January 2018 I discovered my home had been flooded while filming, I was extremely upset. I can only say I am human and following a build-up of personal life pressure, I admit that I overreacted regarding the damage to my home.”
This heartfelt apology and the candid sharing of his personal struggles were seen as factors that could help repair his reputation.
Edward Coram-James, a crisis management expert, believes that James Martin’s career will not suffer long-term damage due to his handling of the situation. Edward commended James for issuing a strong and robust apology while offering humanity and context.
According to Edward, this approach aligns with textbook crisis communications and demonstrates accountability. He also highlighted that the public tends to forgive isolated incidents, but repeated behaviour could lead to more severe consequences.
While James Martin faced criticism from viewers online, his loyal fanbase is likely to forgive him for this incident. Edward Coram-James pointed out that there is a growing sense of “enough is enough” when it comes to the scrutiny faced by celebrities.
He mentioned the backlash against the BBC and The Sun over their handling of the Huw Edwards issue and the fallout from Phillip Schofield’s affair, which resulted in his career and reputation being ruined. The public’s understanding of stress caused by personal life problems may contribute to their forgiveness in James Martin’s case.
Edward Coram-James highlighted that ITV has learned lessons from previous incidents involving presenters like Phillip Schofield.
He commended ITV for not always responding to public outcry from a minority on social media. However, he criticized the bungled statements released by ITV, suggesting that they should focus on addressing the allegations themselves rather than providing excessive detail about the complaints process.
Edward emphasized the importance of strategic, balanced, and coherent messaging to effectively handle such crises.
Following the complaint from members of the Blue Marlin production team regarding the filming of James Martin’s Spanish Adventure, ITV took action to address the concerns raised. The channel emphasized its commitment to the welfare of its employees and explained its expectations of the production companies it works with.
ITV shared recommendations for Blue Marlin to implement, including best practices for staff welfare and adherence to the Supplier Code of Conduct.
Rebuilding trust will be crucial for James Martin’s career moving forward. While the crisis may not have long-term consequences, it serves as a reminder for James to learn from his actions and avoid similar outbursts in the future.
Edward Coram-James emphasized the need for James Martin to reflect on this incident and put an end to any pattern of unreasonable behaviour. The public’s forgiveness this time does not guarantee the same leniency if such behaviour repeats in the future.
