CHEF SPECIAL: THE GOSPEL OF JAMES

On being seized by immigration officials and held at gunpoint

‘These two guys came up on either side and pulled their guns out on me. It was surreal and terrifying.’

On his desire to take over as the presenter of Top Gear when Matt LeBlanc leaves later this year

‘I went past Paddy Power the other day and I’m six to one on. I may have to put £100 on myself. But I’ve got no idea whether I’ll get it.’

On fears about his own mortality

‘I lost three or four mates to heart attacks and cancer. You say, Woah! You spend your entire life at work, work, work, with no time for yourself and the people around you. So I made a decision to look at the way I lived my life.’

On his own health

‘I wasn’t very well when I left Saturday Kitchen. I had a few operations. And I wasn’t too good. You just think, God, you’ve got one shot at life here.’

On buying his first Ferrari

‘My mum said, “How much is it? You could buy yourself a bloody flat for that, you bloody stupid idiot!” I had to sell it within six months. I didn’t realise you had to pay that much car tax on it.’