For the first time since the programme started, we switched the TV off today. Sophie is a brilliant cook and is great with Jeni but paired off with the clown you use to act as Jeni's stand in and 'click', we get a black screen. The screen will remain blank if Sophie and Jeni's stand in continue this week. Roll on 11 March.

Regards,


Dave & Pat Rees

Well done Richard. Sophie is a fabulous cook and excellent live but she was her frequently difficult self to-day. She was obviously trying to score points over Richard but the boy done well! There are fascinating shows ahead. Keep going Richard.
Jill

agree with you david and pat,Sophie will have a hard week,she is great but sorry I wont be watching while this guy is on.Bernard

11th March??? Am I going retro lol

f (froggie) well said, Sophie was a poor choice for Tommy's first show - I do hope that we're not going to have another bout of unkind comments about Richard - I think he's great and a refreshing change from Jeni's great, but incredibly loud presentation - give him a chance.

IMHO the only stand in presenters i`ve found that really complement the show are Lotte Duncan and Paul Roseby, I`d love to see one and/or the other do it full time quite frankly. I can tolerate Richard Arnold but only in small doses but he`s a clone of Jeni IMHO who tries way, way too hard and Sophie, well I just don`t think it`s her thing, she is difficult as has been mentioned before.

I agree with f(froggie) and Gaile, Richard has been great in the past but Sophie seemed to try to take the lead out of his pencil to make her self look better i.e. belittling/ignoring him which results in little flowing banter and lots of "dead air" as Richard would say!

Richard id definitely growing on me. I find him really funny. Sophie is very condescending. I can't bear to watch any of her cookery programmes. If I had to watch her all the time on GFL I would switch off. Great show today. That Lamb looked lovely. (Poor Elkie having to pick at the beans!!)

'ast week tamasin day-lewis was in a coffee shop and made an apple cake in a loaf tin it was the coffee shop owners recipe.i have printed out somerset apple pudding ,but i dont think thats the right recipe could you please help . i cant wait to make it

Jeni's away
Sophie & Richard what a poor team I felt sorry for the Irish chef last night I bet he would love to have tipped his dish over Sophie she made a complete fool of her self trying to be the show star I switched off also get them off

sorry normally i never comment on other guest presenters because its not fair but I switched off todays programme as well, apart from the fact that Sophie tried her hardest to be camper than Richard , the show did not seem to gel and poor Elkie was left in the wings looking lost (turned off then) whoever takes over from Jeni will have to put u[p with a barrage off complaints but todays show really did not do well. Hopefully they will calm down a bit tomorrow

Jenis Away cant you tell Richard makes a poor sub,aways talking across guests and does not give them a chance.Like The Duke I switcched off, roll on Jenis return

I've got to say, and I posted that I switched off last time Richard was presenting...but I have to say he is growing on me, I'll keep watching this week I may actually get to the like the fella

The thing with Sophie is that she tries to take over the cooking sections. Jeni had a better way of almost seamlessly joining in and allowing the guest chef to give their views. During the week there has been this annoying situation where Sophie is eagerly trying to give advice or an opinion on something and butting in on what the chef has to say.

Oh what Venom! Can they keep going at the same pace? You are absolutely right MarcJ about Sophie G's constant butting in and infact blatant rudeness,although at times to-day she did seem to bite her tongue. Many of the guests are obviously embarrased. Were there comments a while ago about Jenny rarely presenting with Sophie G? Richard has learnt an awful lot about food in the short time he has been presenting GFL and should be respected for this but some of his comments were not for little children!

I must say I haven't watched any of this week's shows simply because of Richard Arnold. I know these posts are read by the GFL team so hopefully they will take note about who is popular as a stand-in and who obviously isn't.

Please stop going on about Sophie G. She is a great cook, we love her Shepherds Pie and Steak and Kidney - there is so much Med type food on the programme all the time, olive oil, olives, pasta, fish, warm salads, cold salads instead of the type of family food one would normally cook at home for every day consumption.

I am sorry, but I too turned off the screen, I could not watch that idiot Richard any longer and feel sorry for Sophie and the others that have had to cope so far this week.

Really strange the way people keep going on and on about how wonderful Jeni is - this is a cooking programme and if you feel you have to turn off because someone else is presenting then you're obviously not watching for the content. Quite often there are guest chefs and presenters who can be irritating, but if you really love cooking then you should be able to rise above and watch the programme for what it is - food. I love Richard and well done GFL team for not bowing to the negative comments that have been posted. I have only recently contributed to these message boards, but would have no doubt that in the early days of the show there were negative comments about Jeni and her style of presenting. As far as Sophie is concerned, she either needs to present the show on her own, or be a guest presenter with someone who has a more dominant personality, ie Jeni as I can't think of anyone else who could do that job! You can't have a go at someone for being themselves though and that's all she is doing - we are all different, so let's see a few more positives and a lot less negatives.

HEAR HEAR MOLLY MALONE

What a sad lot turning off. The recipes and format is still the same. Don't you realise its a cookery programme!

If you were watching today Sophie and Richard where hammer and tongs today. I had to laugh today they do not really get on but it makes me watch even more.

Traffy - I don't think we are sad for turning off. When you sit watching someone who is making your blood boil, its better to turn off than put up with it. And yes we realise its a cookery programme but I am afraid sad Richard doesn't!

yes it is a cookery programme but it should be entertaining not embarassing (as yesterday) its the guests I feel sorry for!! actually Richard does seem to know a fair bit about food but he appears to be having trouble getting that across. Everyone is allowed an opinion and most prob. Richard and Sophie have loads of fan mail from adoring viewers just not me I do not think it wise to put those two together again!! well not without a boxing ring and ref. )

Lesley1621 I agree. He does know about cooking but could not get his points across yesterday. He needs more practise, but he is not Jeni!