Heston, Gordon, Nigella, Delia- it is testament to the large appetite the British public seem to share for food shows that this list is instantly recognisable as far more than an assortment of middle class names. Delia Smith started the trend, sporting her classic 1970s haircut and no-nonsense attitude, and paved the way for a host of new household names.
Yet in recent years, an outpouring of programmes in which the viewing public try their own hand at the art of cooking has seen the reign of celebrity chefs interrupted. Television fads come and go, but while the popularity of genres such as that of the property market and talent searches has declined in recent times, the concept of food seems to have grown in strength.
The BBC have proved dominant on the cooking front- ‘Ready Steady Cook’, ‘Masterchef’ and the recent surprise ratings hit ‘The Great British Bake Off’ have all proved popular, and ITV have been reluctant to step up to the plate and move away from the safer daytime territory of the likes of ‘Gino and Mel Do Lunch’.
This is set to change however, with news that Simon Cowell is planning a nationwide search for the best family recipe in Britain under the heading of ‘Food Glorious Food’. According to those behind the show, there will be an emphasis on the stories behind the recipes, and we can only hope these aren’t of the sob variety that tend to be featured in Cowell’s original brainchild, ‘The X Factor.’ The latest series of the talent show has proved a ratings flop, so it is perhaps unsurprising that the music mogul is venturing down the cookery path, with food shows apparently containing a recipe for success.
So why has food remained such a ratings winner? As one of the fattest nations in Europe, is the British appetite for food such that our pudgy fingers can only be prised from the biscuit tin quick enough to switch to the latest episode of ‘Come Dine With Me’? I suspect there is more to it than this however- hell, even the Hairy Bikers have slimline waists these days.
Various celebrity chefs may have acquired a huge following, but it was the introduction of a game show element to the concept –with the reinvention of ‘Masterchef’ in 2005- that brought cookery programmes into the realm of primetime entertainment. Not only this, but food is afterall one of life’s staples, and while not everyone may be able to stomach talentless hopefuls singing their hearts out every weekend, anyone can appreciate a well done sorbet, even if cooking isn’t your forte.
Recent weeks saw the return of ‘The Great British Bake Off’ to our screens, and the BBC must be patting themselves on the back for finding what appears to be the perfect combination of ingredients for a cookery show. On the face of it, a show with this concept- a group of amateur bakers, competing in the twee surroundings of a marquee decked out in patriotic bunting, set in the grounds of perfectly manicured gardens- just shouldn’t work in 2012. Yet somehow, it really does.
Refreshingly, there is little discussion of the contestants’ ‘emotional journey’ that producers at ITV seem to love, and more focus on the jaw dropping (and mouth-watering) outcome of their hard work. Contrary to what you’d expect, the show’s participants come from all walks of life and are not merely WI types tussling over the best Victoria Sponge. Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood are tough but fair as judges, and Mel and Sue return as presenters who genuinely seem to share the same admiration for the bakers we feel at home.
With the end of the Olympics, the Great British enthusiasm for exercise may start to wane, but all that patriotic enthusiasm can be channelled into a mutual appreciation for something equally as important: cake.