James Martin says he knew things were doomed with his James Bond producer ex-girlfriend when she tried to buy him a £180,000 Aston Martin.
The Saturday Morning star and Barbara Broccoli were together for four-and-a-half years before they called it a day in 2008.
Reflecting on his past love, celeb chef James, 49, says there was an 'imbalance' between himself and the mega-rich film exec so knew it wouldn't work.
James met Barbara, 61, at a charity auction and recalled how the pair instantly clicked despite their 12-year age gap.
Barbara - said to be worth £300million - tried to treat him to the super car but says the purchase painted a picture.
She already had - and also showered him with some incredible gifts including three genuine Picassos.
He accepted that the worlds they came from were just too different as they admitted defeat.
“It wasn’t as if it was my birthday or Christmas – it was just a spur of the moment thought,” James said as he opened up about their break-up.
“In the end I said, ‘If I want something, I’ll work for it. Just drop it or we’re going to fall out over this’.
“It was a defining moment in our relationship. Deep down, I knew there was always going to be an imbalance.”
After the pair parted ways, James went on to date former Miss England Sally Kettle.
Since 2011, he has been in a relationship with his long-term girlfriend TV producer Louise Davies.
The pair met on the set of Celebrity Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and have since their relationship out of the spotlight.
In the 2008 article, James suggested that his split from Barbara was ultimately “for the best”.
He added: “To walk away from someone you love and who loves you that much is hard.
“Maybe it was the daftest thing I have done in my life but it was probably the most sensible, too."
