Martin Freeman's 'just giving into his meaty cravings', activists claim as they slam actor's claims that veggie alternatives are 'very' processed as he quits vegetarianism after 38 years

Martin Freeman is 'just giving into his meaty cravings' by quitting vegetarianism after 38 years, activists have claimed. 

The actor, 52, said he gave up the lifestyle choice after nearly four decades because meat replacement is 'very, very processed'. 

Martin admitted that now he has returned to eating animals, he can finally indulge in the 'food of the gods' - pork pies and scotch eggs.

But activists have branded the Sherlock star's claims about vegetarian replacements being 'very processed' as 'odd' - as the meaty foods Martin mentioned are just as bad for you. 

Richard McIlwain, Chief Executive of Vegetarian Society, told MailOnline: 'For me it feels odd. It feels like he's just giving into his meaty cravings.

'Where he talks about tucking into a scotch egg and a pork pie, he should know that they're just as ultra-processed. 

Martin Freeman, 52, (pictured) said he gave vegetarianism after nearly four decades because meat replacement is 'very, very processed'

A comparison between a beef burger and plant burgers shows the nutritional value 

Richard McIlwain, Chief Executive of Vegetarian Society, told MailOnline: 'For me it feels odd. It feels like he's just giving into his meaty cravings' 

'He bemoans about the fact that vegetarian foods are over-processed, and then talks about eating scotch eggs and pork pies. 

'I'm not sure he's got this health angle quite right to be honest.' 

Mr McIlwain added: 'If you're picking plant-based foods [...] and eating them as part of a plant-based diet, that can be very healthy.' 

Martin said he originally turned vegetarian as a teenager because he was 'never comfortable' with eating animals.

However, he had a change of heart later in life because he is trying to eat fewer processed foods and enjoy having 'what I like'.

Elisa Allen, the Vice President of UK Programmes & Operations at animal rights group PETA, also condemned Martin's choice to eat meat again. 

'Martin cares about animals, and PETA is pretty certain he will change back when he realises that he's been the target of meat and dairy industry propaganda, because converting plants like the grass eaten by cows or the corn and grains eaten by chickens into milk or meat involves processing,' she said. 

'There's nothing ''natural'' about consuming other animals or their excretions unless you're an obligate carnivore like a tiger – and they don't raise animals on factory farms or cook their flesh before eating it.' 

She added: 'We're all animals, and every animal is someone, not something to go into a sandwich, a fact that Martin realised once and will hopefully dwell on again.

'PETA stands ready to help him switch back.' 

Martin said he originally turned vegetarian as a teenager because he was 'never comfortable' with eating animals

While eating an Italian bolognese on the Dish podcast with Nick Grimshaw and professional chef Angela Hartnett, Martin said: 'I've now, I've come off being a vegetarian. I started being a vegetarian in like January 1986.

'Because I was never really, I was never comfortable with the idea of eating animals. So I've not had a really good bolognese since then - my mum was a pretty good cook.

'So this is the first proper bolognese maybe I've ever had for 38 years...'

Discussing the substitutes available, he added: 'So I always had veggie stuff - it's really lovely. But I always had veggie sort of replacements and stuff.

'I think in the last several months, it's really new going back to being an omnivore, just sort of eating what I like.

'It's a funny one, because I like meat replacement things, but my reservation about them is that they can be very, very processed and I'm trying to eat less processed food.'

He said he'd missed out on the 'good, honest staple' of dishes such as bolognese for 'decades'.

Revealing what he was already tucking back into, he added: 'Scotch egg was one of the things, I thought, 'It's a free country, I can do what I like'.

'And also, do you know the other thing - a pork pie with the jelly and all that s**t.

'A bit of mustard on a pork pie - oh man. It's food of the gods.'