Torquay reality TV star Georgia Toffolo has reportedly found new love in Brewdog boss James Watt. The I am a celebrity…. The winner was devastated earlier this year when her sometime boyfriend – convicted fraudster George Cottrell – started dating the reigning Miss Montenegro.
However, she has since recovered and is said to have started dating the pub mogul, who is reportedly worth £262million, according to MailOnline. He is best known for opening craft beer bars across the country, including in the South West, and opened establishments in Exeter and Plymouth.
Friends of Toff say she and James were set up on a blind date over the summer by a mutual friend who thought they would be perfect together. Friends claim they have spent a lot of time together since they met and that Georgia has never been happier.
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A friend told MailOnline: “Toff has never been happier – she’s grinning from ear to ear and it’s lovely to see.” They’ve spent a lot of time together since meeting. They just hit it off immediately.
“It’s no secret that she was devastated by the final end of her relationship with George. It took a while to run its course, and there was a lot of heartache along the way. But Toff has now gotten over it and is enjoying her new life with her new love.”
Georgia Toffolo(Image: PA)
Early life for James Watt
The 39-year-old has created the 19th most valuable beer brand in the world, putting him ahead of traditional giants like Stella Artois. But brewing wasn’t always his life and instead he initially completed an honors degree in law and economics.
However, it didn’t take long for him to realize that the world of corporate litigation and defamation was not for him, and he ended his legal career after just a few weeks. He returned to north-east Scotland, particularly Aberdeenshire, and became a fully qualified deep sea captain alongside his father.
The basics of Brewdog
James’ career as a brewer was inspired by the bold and experimental beers being produced by a new brewing movement on the West Coast of the United States. To replicate their success, James teamed up with his friend Martin Dickie and together the two began brewing their own beers.
Their first beers were brewed in Martin’s mother’s garage. In a world dominated by cask bitters and mass-produced lagers, their penchant for heavily hopped and relentlessly bitter beers made them a unique duo.
They continued to pursue their passion through careful study, experimentation, and boundary-pushing ideas. In 2007, Brewdog became a reality and the businessmen set up shop in an abandoned industrial area in Fraserburgh.
While Martin took charge of brewing and production, James focused on the business side of Brewdog. In 2014, James was named Great British Entrepreneur of the Year. He is also one of only a few people in Europe to hold the title of Master Cicerone5, a title reserved for only the most diligent beer experts.
James has always had a passion for sustainability and in 2020 Brewdog announced that they were the first carbon negative brewery in the world.
Personal life
In early 2023, James announced that he was autistic after being diagnosed at the age of 40. He explained that he had been diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) after seeking help when he was described as ‘semi-autistic’ by a journalist.
AberdeenLive reported that the comment was made amid allegations of sexism and bullying by former Brewdog staff members who described the craft beer company’s culture as “toxic”. Watt denied the claims but admitted to making mistakes at the top of the company.
Announcing the diagnosis, he said: “My first 40 years on this planet have been quite eventful. High highs, low lows and a few personal problems along the way. I had always thought that I was just a pretty strange fish, very introverted, very happy in my own company and far more capable analytically than socially.
“I’ve always struggled with emotional issues and I’m terrible at social stimuli. I always needed a lot of time alone to be able to function well as a person.”
“I was often more afraid in simple social situations than if I had been exposed to big storms on the high seas in the North Atlantic. I’ve always accepted these character imperfections and viewed them as a kind of compromise with other qualities – my analytical skills, my work ethic, and my ability to focus on tasks like a crazy mother.
“’It’s just the way I am’ is pretty much what I’ve always thought. Until a fleeting comment from a journalist took me on the most interesting journey of all.
“The journalist, after spending a day with me, described me to a member of our team as a ‘semi-autistic former sea captain’. In my 40 years, I had never described myself in this way, and this was after some hasty Googling.” I decided to see a specialist and get checked out.
“Working with the specialist was truly eye-opening and after a series of consultations and tests, I was diagnosed with not only high-functioning Asperger’s Syndrome (which is on the autism spectrum), but also ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).”
He continued: “The diagnosis gives me the opportunity to continue working with a great specialist to fully understand the impact of my own neurodiversity and in particular to work hard on the blind spots associated with it (e.g. reading social signals or empathy “to express) and at the same time sharpen the talents that are also associated with autism and ADHD, such as concentration, creativity and analysis.
“Understanding the condition also means that I can incorporate practices into my daily life that help me better deal with occasions, situations and experiences that may be more challenging for me than others.”
“I’m still at the beginning of my journey here and intend to continue sharing thoughts and insights that can help other neurodiverse business leaders and entrepreneurs on their journey too.”
“I am confident that by working with fantastic specialists I can work within the boundaries of ASD and ADHD to further improve my approach to running Brewdog, as well as my approach to life overall.”
