Hell's Kitchen (British TV series)


Hell's Kitchen is a British cookery reality show, aired on ITV, which featured prospective chefs competing with each other for a final prize. Four series aired between 2004 and 2009, three presented by Angus Deayton and the fourth and final series presented by Claudia Winkleman.
During its run, the first two series, along with its sister show Hell’s Kitchen: Extra Portions as well as the 2004 one-off specials Hell’s Kitchen: School Reunion and Hell’s Kitchen: Coming Out were sponsored by Tio Pepe.

Cast

SeriesHead chefsPresenter
1Gordon RamsayAngus Deayton
2Gary Rhodes and Jean-Christophe NovelliAngus Deayton
3Marco Pierre WhiteAngus Deayton
4Marco Pierre WhiteClaudia Winkleman

Series overview

Series 1 (2004)

Series 1 of Hell's Kitchen in the UK was broadcast from 23 May to 6 June 2004, airing live nightly for two weeks.
The premise was head chef Gordon Ramsay teaching ten celebrities how to cook. The celebrities were placed in a specially constructed London restaurant-kitchen with the task of catering for a clientele of famous people. Eliminations were determined by a series of public votes. One notorious moment saw Amanda Barrie repeatedly trying to strike Ramsay when she became irate.
Ramsay was also heavily criticised for comments he made to Edwina Currie referring to her affair with John Major when he was Prime Minister and she was Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health. Ramsay said “You crack me up … One minute you are shagging the prime minister and now you are trying to shag me from behind. You sound like you're going doolally.”
Jennifer Ellison was declared the winner. A follow-up programme was made afterwards called Hell's Kitchen: School Reunion, which saw Ellison and the show runner-up, James Dreyfus, team up to organise a healthy dinner service for the children at Ramsay's former school, Stratford Upon Avon High School.
The celebrities who took part were:
No.CelebrityKnown forOriginal TeamSecond TeamExit
1Jennifer EllisonActress, model, singer & dancerBlue Team White Team Winner
2James DreyfusActorBlue Team White Team Runner-up
3Matt GossMusicianBlue Team White Team Eliminated Day 15
4Edwina CurrieFormer politicianBlue Team White Team Eliminated Day 14
5Al MurrayComedian & actorRed Team White Team Eliminated Day 11
6Abi TitmussTelevision personalityRed Team White Team Eliminated Day 9
7Belinda CarlisleMusicianRed Team —Eliminated Day 8
8Amanda BarrieActressRed Team —Quit Day 8
9Tommy VanceRadio broadcasterRed Team —Quit Day 5
10Dwain ChambersRetired track sprinterBlue Team —Quit Day 4
11Roger CookRetired journalistRed Team —Quit Day 1

Series 2 (2005)

Series 2 of Hell's Kitchen in the UK was broadcast from 18 April - 2 May 2005.
The format was overhauled as the show was turned into a competition between two kitchens run by "celebrity chefs" Gary Rhodes and Jean-Christophe Novelli. The second series featured twelve members of the public competing for a prize of £250,000, with which the winner could start his or her own restaurant. They were split into two teams of six, one red and the other blue. A new and much larger restaurant was built to accommodate the fact that there were now two kitchens.
The only things that remained the same in the second series were the music, by composer Daniel Pemberton, and the presenter, who was still Angus Deayton. Elimination was still down to voting.
The series was won by Terry Miller.
The contestants who took part were:
  • Blue Team
  • *Henry Filloux-Bennett
  • *Aby King
  • *Rory O'Donnell
  • *Gary Tomlin
  • *Kellie Cresswell
  • *Stien Smart
  • Red Team
  • *Terry Miller
  • *Simon Gross
  • *Aaron Siwoku
  • *Tom Paisley
  • *Caroline Gravy
  • *Sam Raplin

Series 3 (2007)

Series 3 was due to begin in mid-2006, with Jean-Christophe Novelli as the sole head chef; however, ITV made the decision to take a break from producing Hell's Kitchen. The network then announced in February 2007 that it had commissioned a new series of the show, to begin in late 2007.
The new series began on 3 September 2007 at 9:00 pm. Michelin starred Marco Pierre White was the new head chef. White had two sous chefs, Matthew and Timothy. The series reverted to the original format of having celebrities as contestants.
The series ended on 17 September 2007, with Barry McGuigan crowned winner.
The contestants who took part were:
No.CelebrityKnown forOriginal TeamSecond TeamThird TeamExit
1Barry McGuiganRetired professional boxerBlue Team Red Team Blue Team Winner
2Adele SilvaFormer Emmerdale actressRed Team Blue Team Red Team Runner-up
3Brian DowlingTelevision presenterBlue Team Red Team —Eliminated Day 15
4Paul YoungMusicianBlue Team Red Team —Eliminated Day 15
5Anneka RiceTelevision presenterRed Team Blue Team Red Team Eliminated Day 13
6Abbey ClancyLingerie & catwalk modelRed Team Blue Team —Eliminated Day 12
7Jim DavidsonStand-up comedianBlue Team Red Team —Disqualified Day 10
8Kelly LeBrockActress & modelRed Team Blue Team —Eliminated Day 9
9Rosie BoycottRetired journalistRed Team ——Eliminated Day 6
10Lee RyanFormer Blue singer & actorBlue Team ——Walked Day 3

Series 4 (2009)

Series 4 began on 13 April 2009. Marco Pierre White returns as Head Chef/teacher. Claudia Winkleman took over as host, replacing Angus Deayton. Nick Munier returned as Maitre d', as did Sous Chefs Matthew and Timothy. This series there was one kitchen with grey and dark red tiles. The first four sackings were Marco's responsibility, while the other four sackings were down to a public vote.
Linda Evans won from public voting on 27 April 2009.
The celebrities who took part were:
No.CelebrityKnown forStatus
1Linda EvansDynasty actress Winner Day 15
2Ade EdmondsonComedian, actor & musicianRunner-up Day 15
3Danielle Lineker Actress, model & ex-wife of Gary LinekerEliminated Day 13
4Niomi McLean-Daley Recording artistEliminated Day 12
5Anthea TurnerTelevision presenterEliminated Day 11
6Bruce GrobbelaarFormer football goalkeeperQuit Day 10
7Grant BoveyEx-husband of Anthea TurnerEliminated Day 9
8Jody LathamShameless actorEliminated Day 7

International versions

Most countries adapt to the American version, airing pre recorded weekly instead of airing live daily, no presenter and just a voiceover, a challenge with the winner earning a reward and the loser doing a punishment, the customers being mostly from the public instead of celebrities with their loved ones and eliminations made by the head chef and not through viewer voting. The Australian, German and Spanish versions were modeled after the British series, where the contestants are celebrities with no professional culinary backgrounds, many may also be complete novices in cooking in general.
CountryTitleBroadcasterHead ChefSous ChefsMaîtreOriginal run
Albania