He is said to have amassed a fortune of around £4million, allowing him to buy a stunning countryside home, a classic car collection and even a vineyard in France.
However, while his endeavours with wine have gone well, celebrity chef James Martin’s encounters with whisky have left something of a sour taste.
The Mail On Sunday can reveal the TV star has lost a legal battle with a Scotch whisky firm over a bid to register his own name as a trademark.
The ITV presenter sought exclusive ownership of ‘James Martin’ and ‘James Martin’s’ as trademarks for alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks in an effort to expand his brand.
However, lawyers for Edinburgh firm Macdonald & Muir, owner of famous Scotch whiskies including Glenmorangie and Ardbeg, opposed the application and said the name was identical to one of its long-established products.
Now, the UK’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO), which rules on trademark disputes, has found in favour of Macdonald & Muir, stating the trademarks cannot proceed to registration in relation to drinks.
It said the average consumer would be likely to mistake one product for the other if it gave Martin’s plans the green light.
As a result, the 53-year-old star has been ordered to pay £1,900 towards the whisky company’s costs in the case.
The TV star has lost a legal battle with a whisky firm over a bid to register his own name as a trademark
Macdonald & Muir’s 30-year-old whisky James Martin’s sells for £300 and more per bottle
Mr Martin had challenged whether Macdonald & Muir had actually made use of its trademarks in recent years
Mr Martin became the head chef at the Hotel du Vin in Winchester Hampshire, at the age of 22 before starting a TV career on Ready Steady Cook and the Big Breakfast.
He has hosted ITV’s James Martin’s Saturday Morning show since 2017, following his departure from BBC One’s Saturday Kitchen.
Discussing another venture in 2023, he said: ‘I own a vineyard in the South of France. I got approached during Covid to invest and it’s been great.’
He made headlines in 2024 when it emerged he was in a romance with socialite Kim Johnson – the former wife of English actress Liz Hurley’s ex Arun Nayar.
The whisky that has scuppered the chef’s trademark hopes is a premium 30-year-old blended malt called ‘James Martin’s’ which is popular in Portugal and retails for more than £300 a bottle.
Macdonald & Muir has held the trademarks ‘James Martin’ and ‘James Martin’s’ for the whisky since 1998 and claimed a spirit launched by the TV star could lead customers to confuse the two products.
At the IPO hearing Mr Martin – represented by his agent – challenged whether Macdonald & Muir had actually made use of its trademarks in recent years.
In response, Macdonald & Muir said ‘James Martin’s’ was not mass produced due to its ageing being ‘significantly longer’ than other products, but said 11,382 bottles of the whisky were made and exported between 2017 and 2022. The company also provided evidence in the form of invoices for a UK packaging company, photos of the stickers being affixed to the bottles and details of exports.
The IPO trademark hearing officer said, ‘The average consumer is likely to mistake one for the other,’ adding: ‘Therefore, I consider there to be a likelihood of direct confusion.’
The Glenmorangie Company, the parent firm of Macdonald & Muir, said: ‘We are pleased with the decision and the confirmation that it provides in relation to our James Martin’s brand.’
Mr Martin’s representatives have been approached for comment.
