Matt Tebbutt has candidly admitted that taking over a well-established TV role is “not easy”, as he reflected on replacing fellow chef James Martin on the long-running BBC favourite Saturday Kitchen.
The 52-year-old presenter stepped into the spotlight in 2017 after James Martin left the BBC programme following a decade at the helm, later moving on to launch his own ITV series, James Martin’s Saturday Morning.
Speaking openly about the transition, Matt acknowledged that filling such a high-profile role came with pressure — especially when stepping into a show so closely associated with another much-loved TV chef.
“Stepping into a new job isn’t easy, especially when you’re taking over somebody else’s gig on TV,” he said, also reflecting on his experience joining MasterChef: The Professionals after Gregg Wallace’s exit.
Despite the challenges, Matt insisted his approach has always been to stay grounded and make the role his own without disrupting what already works.
“I always just try and make my own mark without making too many waves in a new job,” he explained. “And I won’t. Never mind a safe pair of hands, I’ll be as safe as houses.”
The chef also revealed that while he originally trained and worked as a professional chef for many years, his career has gradually shifted into television — something he now fully embraces.
“I think it is fair to say now I am probably a TV chef,” he admitted, reflecting on the demanding reality of balancing on-screen expectations with his culinary background.
Matt also recently stepped away from a full-time judging role on MasterChef: The Professionals, explaining earlier that his involvement was always intended to be limited.
Behind the scenes, he has also spoken about the complexity of stepping into established programmes and adapting to existing teams and dynamics — a process he says requires patience as well as resilience.
“To then go in and get to know the personalities of Monica and Marcus, and get to know the crew and still do your job and deliver, it was a lot,” he shared, highlighting just how intense the behind-the-scenes adjustment can be.
While James Martin’s legacy on Saturday Kitchen remains strong with fans, Matt Tebbutt has steadily carved out his own identity on the show — even if, as he admits, the journey has never been entirely simple.
