ITV axes big Gordon Ramsay show after ratings flop
GORDON RAMSAY has suffered a kitchen nightmare with his new cookery contest Next Level Chef getting the chop by ITV.
It comes after the series failed to impress in the ratings and was expensive to make.
The show, made by his Studio Ramsay production company, will go down as a one-series wonder on his telly CV, just like his BBC One game show Bank Balance.
A source said: “Gordon is highly competitive and he’s gutted the series wasn’t given a second run.
“These types of shows always take a while to get going and for viewers to connect, so he thinks it wasn’t really given a proper chance.”
“But he accepts TV is a brutal world and sometimes shows just don’t work out.”
Next Level Chef involved 12 aspiring cooks battling it out to be crowned champion by Gordon, helped by judges and mentors Paul Ainsworth and Nyesha Arrington.
Plus, they had the chance to win a £100,000 prize and a year of mentoring. Social media chef Jade Greenhalgh won the first and only series earlier this month.
A spokesman for ITV said: “There are no current plans for a second series but viewers can watch series one on ITVX.”
It is not all bad news on the telly front for Gordon. The second series of his BBC One show Future Food Stars starts on Thursday, following its successful first run last year. It features 12 new contestants also hoping for investment in culinary businesses taking on food challenges.
Meanwhile, a new series of his ITV Roadtrip show is also in the pipeline, despite contract wrangles with co-star Gino D’Acampo.
Gordon was believed to be stunned by Gino announcing his departure last week.
But sources close to the show are hopeful the Italian chef will make a U-turn and join Gordon and Fred Sirieix for the next instalment.
The popular trio have previously filmed three series, plus a number of specials.
JESSIE IS BACK ON THE BOX
JESSIE WALLACE is preparing for a run of knockout performances outside of EastEnders.
The actress, who plays Kat Slater, wants boxing training after approaching Albert Square newbie Chris Evangelou for lessons.
The actor joins the soap this week playing Troy, who takes on Ben Mitchell in the ring at Phil Mitchell’s new boxing club.
Chris, who also runs his own gym – The Fit Factory in Cockfosters, North London – said: “After filming, Jessie asked if I train people and I told her I did.
“She said, ‘I really want to get back into boxing’. So I think she’s going to pop into my gym. She’s really nice and I’d love to train her.”
Chris also revealed how some of his co-stars pass time between takes.
He said: “Danny Walters, who plays Keanu, was playing chess. They love it in the green room. It’s where they relax and chill out.”
ROMESH TROLLS TORRENT
ROMESH RANGANATHAN says he gets trolled every day.
But the comedian admits he has learned to cope with the endless criticism – as well as ignoring the kinder comments on social media.
He explains on the Under The Surface podcast: “I’m not exaggerating, every day I would get someone tell me they hate me on social media.
“At least one saying, ‘Why can’t you disappear off TV?’ or whatever.
“You just have to desensitise yourself to it. But also to people saying that you’re really good.
“People come to my show and say, ‘That’s the best comedy set I’ve ever seen’, and I just think, ‘You need to watch more comedy’.
“There’s absolutely no way that’s the best comedy show.”
PADDY’S FREDDIE WARNING
PADDY McGUINNESS can’t say he wasn’t warned about getting stick for presenting A Question Of Sport.
The Top Gear favourite took over from Sue Barker in 2021, much to the frustration of fans who felt he was the wrong choice given his lack of sporting background.
And now Paddy has revealed Top Gear co-host Freddie Flintoff told him to expect abuse on social media when he got the gig.
He says on The Monday Mile podcast: “Freddie rang me and said ‘Oh God, be careful.’
“He stood in on a sports breakfast show for a month and he said ‘Even I got abuse.’ So there’s something about sport. People get a bit militant.”
He’s not wrong.
Strictly the best
SHIRLEY BALLAS has teased that this year’s Strictly Come Dancing line-up is the best yet.
The head judge told This Morning: “Just when you think it couldn’t get any better, it does. I’m just saying.”
It’s been just three months since the last winner, Hamza Yassin, lifted the Glitterball Trophy.