Exactly, Kenneth. That's why the addition of Diana to Market Kitchen has been a positive.

You're so right about there being a wonderful lot of great chefs that are "TV presentable"

How they picked that dire bunch of presenters is beyond me. Four! And they got them all wrong!? What were they thinking?

Watching them on TV, to me it is now obvious that Tana Ramsey and Tom Parker-Bowles were simply chosen because of their names, hoping that alone would pull in ratings. How stupid.

Some presenters enhance the show, in fact make you want to watch it and you then see the food on display................Others just make your toes curl so you can't really concentrate on the subject.
Stein, Ching, Kylie, so many good ones I can't see why they use "famous" duck-eggs.

"Eliminate this use of over-exposed, rather obnoxious "celebrities", and return to the whole point: food."

Very, very true. No matter what our individual programme likes and dislikes are, this is the common denominator that links us all.

It would seem that it is about time that the executives of UKTVFood get back to the more tried and true formulae for creating food programming. This overemphasis lately on using "names" to promote food programmes has drained the whole genre of any interest amongst those truly interested in food. Eliminate this use of over-exposed, rather obnoxious "celebrities", and return to the whole point: food.

whooh, that's a lot of posts.

The also think the postings on this board are very diverse IMHO and cover the gamut of topics. But best of all there is very little of the vitriol you find on baords elsewhere. I don't know if this is due to the moderators or whther there is just a btter class of participants here.

Look at all the postings around and the vast majority are well thought out and heart felt. They all seem to be posted with the utmost seriousness, regardless of the position taken. I appreciate that.

And can I just add my vote for Maria Elia here, she was a delight everytime I saw her on GFL. I think she was one of Jeni's favourites.

The M/K discussion has changed from the old "I don't like it" to the more reasonable "I didn't like that bit".
I personally find Tana a massive turn-off, only there because of her...................you know what I mean. Had she an ounce of personality, or heaven forbid, cooking talent then she would earn her corn.
I find the board quite diverse, Ching, the horrendous Rhodes, all life is here if you want it. AND, if you can't find it, YOU initiate it, what do YOU want to talk about.
M/K is like a magazine, it can't ALL be to your taste just watch the bits you like..........................unless you like Miss Prissy, in which case you're wrong

I think you are right about Maria Elia dustyfrg. Sad. I just love her personality and television presence. I always enjoyed her Mediterranean recipes, the ones I tried were always delicious. A great cooking talent. Glad she won, sorry I missed it.

She always brightens up the TV screen for me.

Maria Elia was on Food Poker and won against some Northern Irish Chef who was obviously peeved at being beaten by her. She was as bubbly as ever, however she's probably not glam enough for the suits to pick her for a show. I always thought she's one of the most innovative chefs out there but her face probably doesn't fit, no matter how talented she is.

I hope so sesley, it's getting pretty dire on UKTVFood of late.

dustyfrg, Ina Garten did do a special broadcast form Paris. It was a fab show!

Has anyone noticed that American cooking shows like Ina and Tyler and Giada, etc seem more cooking-talent based, like ours used to be.

It seems in the last year or so IMHO that there has been a new focus in Britain on what a food programme needs to be? Somehow it strikes me as reality TV rather than food programming.

Has anyone seen Maria Elia lately? I know Maria teaches at The Ethnic Authentic Cooking School in London but haven't seen her on tV since the unfortunately demise of GFL.

hi, well maybe new programs like Cooking the Books and Nigellas express,will come on here,when they have finished airing them on BBc and Channel 5 .and some of Jamie Olivers new programs on channel 4 here's hoping

Good on you tickedoff, fight the good fight. Don't be bullied by the wannabe moderators.

Actually I vote for bringing Ina Garten over and having her do a live programme. Ina seems to have a Paris pad - she could wander around the markets in Paris, how good would that be! But they'll never do that, she breaks the weight rule - and probably the female age rule too according to the teenagers/twenty somethings who commission these UKTVFOOD programmes. And would she ever leave Jeffrey in the States? Probably not!

Well said Dustyfrg - I could name said posters, but I ;ll rise above it

I myself have been given quite an amount of abuse because I voiced my opinion Unless Hitler won the war we have a right to have different opinions and all are entitled to it

I HATE MARKET KITCHEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NO MARKET IN THE UK SELLS RATTLESNAKE OR SQUIRREL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The thing that annoys me here is that certain people try to be moderators on the board, "stop whingeing" "stop complaining" and so on and they get quite personal (for whatever sad reason that might be). What is a messageboard for? Until these posters become moderators (which of course they never will) then people can complain if they feel the need to. The fact that it has gone on for more than 6 months just shows the level of dissatisfaction with programmes and MK in particular.

The sad thing is that it is pretty obvious that no-one at UKTVFOOD is taking any notice whatsoever, never read the boards and as long as they are selling their advertising slots (which they seem to be) they couldn't give a flying fig.

I do feel strongly though that the protestors should not be silenced by anyone (unless they're abusive - which I haven't seen myself).

Man the barricades!

So well said, gastrosurf. There seems to be three major problems with UKTVFood presently:

1. They are not showing Great Food Live
2. The repeats that are airing have been overexposed to loyal viewers
3. Market Kitchen hasn't been improved

Quite simple isn't it?

Didn't know the difference of repeats and reruns.
Don't think thee is one. Should you complain to the BBC that they are not making enough new series to let UKTVFOOD repeat or rerun without doing both?

It's not repeats *per se* that are being complained about, it's the reruns of repeated reruns that were repeated in the prior season that I think people find annoying.

It's difficult to gauge, but when you can recite an episode verbatim, word-for-word, that probably would be a reasonable measure of a programme that has been repeated excessively.

Most cooking shows are "repeats" by definition as they are purchased from some other ntwork in some other country.

I think that's what people are saying when they complain about "repeats".

Why do people complain about repeats when that is what the channel is intended for and always has been. UKTV is a BBC repeat channel first and foremost, any "new" programmes you should be grateful for.

I have to agree cooking4one, the repeats have had their day. Some are SO tired it is an embarrasment that they're shown again.

Exactly how many times does a given episode have to run before it is deemed worthy of a rest

I, too, was shocked to see the Rhodes Across India show re-run, and re-run so soon too!

The real issue is firmly held in the hands of the people who post. UKTVFood provide the site and the programmes. The programmes get good ratings. The site gets bad posters. Time to start banning the knockers.

Isn't that the real issue, gastro? UKTVFood is seemingly on autopilot.

Critiques and criticisms notwithstanding, there has been no effort to clean up the dreadful line-up of reruns of over-repeated repeats.

Worse, they continue to foist upon us these travesties such as Market Kitchen and Rhodes Does India.

On other shows Rhodes has told us he doesn't like Indian food, finds it "too spicey", "unbalanced" and "unrefined"...... Then they have the arrogance [or is it ignorance] of picking HIM to do a show on Indian cooking

Then they cobble together a poorly contrived show based upon a "market" but done in a studio with a phoney cafe and hosted by a bunch of non-telegenic presenters?

What gives? They clearly haven't a clue about what they are doing!

Hi ReedW

I do think the constant repeats are *part* of the problem and that the lack of recently made programs may be intensifying the focus on MK, which in turn works to raise expectations of what MK should deliver, but even so, I think it has to be recognised that MK is seriously failing in a slot that was previously held by GFL who did manage to hold up the uktv flag despite the surrounding issues.

I should add that I am not grief stricken over the loss of Jeni Barnett as some may suggest, I just thought that she did her job very well and worked as a catalyst for what was a fairly well balanced and thought out program.

There are some good aspects to MK, for me they revolve around the guest chefs or other specialists that are brought in.

I have found some of this weeks viewing quite watchable, mainly because of the contributions of Anton Edelmann who I think comes over as a real pro who could do what he does in his sleep, but while retaining a dry sense of humour and the humility (AND confidence) to take a rise out of himself - as with his remark to MF: "ask me why I brush the pastry with water?" - only to reply: "I haven't a clue - it's the way I was shown how to it and I have always done it that way!"

To my way of thinking Anton Edelmann is "a natural" in front of the cameras: he knows his craft inside out, he has a dry wit with an amusing streak of healthy scepticism, and he was making 'contact' with the other guests on the show and speaking up for their opinions.

In my opinion, he bought a quality to MK that is rarely seen. He wasn't trying to be anything other than himself, and I think he came over as very watchable and entertaining. But I don't suggest that AE's presentation is something that the presenters of MK can emulate - he has a wealth of experience from which he draws from, and none of them have that, and I'm afraid it does show.

The big difference between TPB and AE, is that TPB has been 'parachuted' into his position, whilst AE has walked many a mile to get where he is today. No doubt he gathered many a blister on the route that he walked, but such a journey, and the experience gained, is what helps to make him the person he is today. You can’t buy that level of quality, not even in Windsor, or anywhere else, no matter how much money you have.

As for the issue of complaints spoiling this website, personally I fail to see that critical feedback is a bad thing. Quite often people include positive remarks and suggestions along with their criticisms, which could be used to improve things.

If someone opened a restaurant and threw out everyone who ever complained, they would soon find themselves with an empty restaurant – yes it would be quiet and peaceful, but perhaps more so than they really wanted.

Obviously anyone in business needs to be able to take hold of criticism and say: if so many people are complaining, WHAT is wrong with what we are providing?

There are people on this website who seem to think there has been a contagious outbreak of dissatisfaction that has snowballed in a copycat manner.

Perhaps they should consider whether the high number of complaints represent a problem per-se, or whether the high number of complaints are a symptom of a problem(s): which may have various dimensions, such as the high number of repeats on Sky food channels, the lack of competition for MK, and perhaps the low quality of presentation that many people have come to associate with MK?

Personally, I see hope, admittedly at present beyond the horizon, but with the establishment of broadband TV, I suspect things will change.

And, it’s not just me that thinks that way – which is why Sky are offering free broadband with their packages.

Unless someone has the memory span of a goldfish, Sky TV is on the wane, I repeat, on the wane, on the wane, on the wane, on the wane, …………………………say it again……………………………on the wane!

New slogan: “you saw it for the first 500 times on Sky TV!"

I wonder if this post will get modded?

I wonder if this post will get modded?

I wonder if this post will get modded?

SEE what happens if you watch too much Sky TV!!! ... be warned!

I think you're right ReedW, I used to watch UKTVFood constantly but now when I turn it on it always *seems* to be a programme I have seen already ad infinitum, so I switch away.

So they've "lost" me in a way, but not really.

I would think they could give the current crop of programmes a "rest" for a couple/few years and just air other "repeats" that haven't been shown for a while and they would seem fresh to us viewers?

I think that is perhaps the cause for the boredom and the loss of viewers.

To me that's the reason for this overwhelming pall of boredom hanging over UKTVFood, gastro....the repeats. Some are shown multiple times per day.

While it is true that these tired repeats are getting more viewers than Market Kitchen, that's hardly a reason for them to stick with them, is it??

It is not a surprise that the ratings are so poor, there really hasn't been any growth in viewership for years now.

In fact, they'll lose more and more viewers - not because of MK - but because we've seen these repeats so many times we can't bear to watch them any more.

I don't know why they need 5 presenters on MK, it must cost them a fortune in salaries. That's never been explained. In fact NOTHING about Market Kitchen has ever been explained.

Which one are you today, Sonny or Cher?