E4 star reveals scenes were edited on rowdy new reality show to tone down screaming arguments on camera
FRED Sirieix is the picture of decorum as he juggles nervy singles or rowdy guests.
But the maître d’ of First Date fame has revealed he struggled to stay cool on new show Fred’s Last Resort, schooling wannabe hoteliers at a luxurious hotel in the French Riviera.
Some guests were so riled by his bungling recruits, E4 bosses had to cut scenes of screaming and shouting.
He told me: “There was lady who was quite upset, quite vocal. We had to tone it down in the edit because she didn’t hold back. We had another instance where recruits had to organise a day out and this couple wanted a yacht. But the group booked a fishing boat. Then one of the recruits got sick on the boat. It was a disaster.”
‘Really stupid’
He added: “At times it was a bit Fawlty Towers. It was almost comical but at other times not funny because I was thinking, ‘How can it be this bad?’”
Recruits include a pizza restaurant waitress and a fast-food delivery driver.
But Fred is taken aback as one calls him “bruv”, while another has to try to blend in with her bright-blue hair.
Fred hopes his show reveals how great a job in hospitality can be.
He said: “You can make up for what you don’t know with vision and attitude.
“I considered myself the Maradona of restaurants. When you’re watching foot-ball . . . Manchester and Liverpool playing in the Theatre of Dreams . . . I had this fantasy to do a show where you see hospitality play out like that.
“I’ve been in the industry 35 years and it’s never been respected. People don’t see it as a profession. We think if you’re stupid you can be a chef, if really stupid you can be front of house. And what’s the point investing in skills if you can pluck people off the street and put them in a restaurant?
“That’s the attitude. It’s upstairs-downstairs, masters and servants, and nobody wants to be a servant.”
- Fred’s Last Resort begins March 14, at 9 pm on E4.
Olivia's in on the action
OLIVIA Attwood made a cameo in a porn film as part of her last ITV2 documentary, Getting Filthy Rich.
And she’s revealed plans to get “even more immersive” for series two later this year.
Asked what to expect, she said: “Lots more amazing characters, girl power and jaw-dropping revelations.”
Crouchy browned off by AB
MASKED Dancer panellist Peter Crouch could have done with one of the show’s disguises after Abbey Clancy used him to test out her fake tan range.
He reckons he ended up looking like “a knob” covered in his wife’s beauty products.
Abbey said of her range: “It’s been over a year in the making. I am perfecting my colours.
“Pete has the perfect skin to test on – and there is a big area.”
But former England striker Peter said on their podcast The Therapy Crouch: “It is not acceptable to use me for testing. Now I feel like a bit of a knob.
“I wanted to go for a swim but looked like a psycho.”
Abbey joked: “No testing on animals – but we can confirm testing on giraffes.”
EK of a good break
THEY flew home from the Maldives last week and Love Islanders Ekin-Su Culculoglu and Davide Sanclimenti are clearly keen to show off their fabulous tans.
Davide even left his shirt at home so his bronzed pecs had their moment, while Ekin opted for a slinky, navy dress with a web of complex straps.
The pair, who won the ITV2 dating show’s 2022 summer series, jumped at the chance to take a sunshine break when Ekin was booted off Dancing On Ice last month.
But it was straight back to work, as they headed to Dublin to present the gong for Best TV Show to Derry Girls at Irish publication Goss.ie’s annual awards at the city’s Convention Centre.
Ol’ times great ‘n’ small
CHANNEL 5’s reboot of All Creatures Great And Small has been a hit – and its star Nicholas Ralph wants bosses to give guest roles to legends from the original veterinary drama.
Nicholas, who will return as lead James Herriot when series four lands later this year, told me: “We’d love to have them on board.”
Anna Madeley, who plays Mrs Hall, added: “They’ve all been suppor-tive. Christopher Timothy, who played James in the Seventies BBC version sent the cast a lovely note.”
All Creatures made stars of its original cast, including the late Lynda Bellingham and Peter Davison, aka vet Tristan Farnon.
It seems he has not stopped working with roles in Doctor Who, Gentleman Jack and, more recently, as the angry vicar in ITV’s The Larkins and cop Gordon Stewart in BBC1 crime drama The Gold.
So Peter may be too busy for another job.
Netflix's disaster doc
NETFLIX’S next big documentary arrives on Wednesday.
MH370: The Plane That Disappeared will look at how the Malaysia Airlines jet and 239 passengers and crew crashed into the sea without trace in 2014.
It will feature archive footage as well as interviews with family members.
Georgia & Tommy are back
ITVBe bosses have gone goo-goo gaga over TOWIE couple Georgia Kousoulou and Tommy Mallet’s – handing their show a fourth series.
The couple, who welcomed baby boy Brody in 2021, packed tons of drama into the last run, Georgia & Tommy: Baby Steps.
Their wedding plans were in doubt and, after an ultimatum from Georgia, Tommy sought help and was diagnosed with ADHD.
The couple said: “In the last series we faced a lot of adversity as a family, and we can’t wait to show how much we have overcome. This will be a big year for our family.”
Filming will begin on Monday in Essex.