James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli and his romantic relationship ended in regret for him.
The glamorous Hollywood film producer, 64, dated the Saturday Morning host, 52, for four and a half years when James was 29 and Barbara was 41.
The TV chef, who won him at an auction in 2001 and paid a staggering £18, 000 for him to cook her dinner, is now happily dating personal trainer Kim Johnson. But it’s unlikely that he will ever forget his early romance with Barbara, a powerful woman 12 years his senior, who had won his heart at an auction in 2001.
At the time, James was a rising star on the culinary scene, while Barbara was already a formidable name in Hollywood. Barbara was a true Tinseltown royalty, the daughter of legendary film producer Albert “Cubby” Broccoli, while James was the son of a catering manager.
Despite the wildly different worlds in which they moved, the chalk and cheese couple’s connection was quickly apparent, and, as James put it in his 2009 memoir Driven, they ‘ just clicked’. Impressed by James ‘ kitchen skills, Barbara booked him again for a birthday meal, and sparks soon flew.
After Barbara introduced Malton-born James to A-list friends like Nicole Kidman and Halle Berry, and he was invited to attend showbiz events, a thrilling romance developed. He could not have imagined that she would give him lavish gifts beyond his wildest dreams. James, now 51, described his shock after Barbara gave him a Picaccaso painting for his birthday after he’d admired it at an exhibition in a piece he wrote for the MailOnline in 2008.
Describing their time together as the ‘ most surreal, exciting and unforgettable four-and-a-half years ‘ of his life,.James revealed: “Barbara had an astonishing ability to remember detail. She would have discovered it and purchased it for you if you had said you liked it six months or a year later.
Ronan Keating had a fantastic Tiffany ring on his little finger when he appeared on Top of the Pops. I liked it in a positive way. Barbara got me an identical ring that Christmas, inscribing inside with our saying: ‘ Being with you is as easy as breathing’. “
Barbara’s generosity with gift-giving ultimately spelled doom for their romance, however, with one luxury present exposing the vast chasm between them. Five years after that fateful auction brought them together, Barbara, now 63, offered to treat her younger beau to a £180, 000 Aston Martin – a gesture that left him feeling uncomfortable.
Remembering this significant turning point in Driven, James recalled:” It wasn’t as if it was my birthday or Christmas – it was just a spur-of-the-moment thought. It was a defining moment in our relationship. Deep down, I knew there was always going to be an imbalance. “
On reflection, however, James admitted that breaking up with Barbara may well have been ‘ the daftest thing I have done in my life’. Expressing regret over speaking publicly about their relationship, James added:” It was a big mistake. I stupidly didn’t listen to people, but I won’t be doing that again. “
James couldn’t help but wonder what assumptions other people had been making about his motivations because of the age difference between them.
When it was just the two of us, James wrote, “The days that really stand out to me are those that are those that are. It would be our turn to turn off our cell phones. The age gap didn’t help matters in public. When we went to functions I felt uncomfortable when people looked at me, this nobody, and probably thought, ‘ He’s with her for the money’. “
He continued:” But I never wanted anything from Barbara. Although there were times I refused to go where I didn’t want to go, it could be because of male pride. When I said I hated us being apart, she said: ‘ Why don’t you give it all up, then? I’ll look after you’. That was the last thing I wanted. to receive a weekly check? No thanks. I wanted to work. “
Along with Michael G. Wilson, Barbara co-produced the James Bond series. Before the eagerly awaited release of the next James Bond movie, she was once again in the limelight thanks to the announcement that Amazon had taken control of 007. Eon Productions, run by Michael and Barbara, announced it will be co-owners with Amazon MGM Studios. – which was created when Amazon bought Bond’s parent studio just three years ago.
Members of the Broccoli family have been tasked with the Bond movie franchise since 1962, with Barbara taking over as Albert “Cubby” Broccoli, her late father, as the film producer, after his passing.
In May of this year, a previous version of this story was released.
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Source: Mirror
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