Finally someone has said it, Billy2Blues...I can't understand a word she says. Maybe it is her rapid machine-gun speaking but I just tune out at times because I can't decipher her comments.

I don't understand why can't they just shove this programme into the dust bin? What kind of contract must they have signed?

Sorry. Simply put: this one single programme has completely destroyed the entire channel.

No wonder the ratings of the over-repeated-rerun repeats of Two Fat Ladies and Rick Stein Heroes completely swamps out the ratings of this awful "fresh" Market Kitchen fare. Dire!!! What are they thinking, exactly???

I cannot believe that Matthew Fort continues to be a part of this abortion of tV programming!!

Perfectly stated. UKTVFood has gone from the channel I watched most to one I now only view rarely. All in less than a year.

My guess TVFoodie is that absolutely NO ONE knows what they are thinking. Even themselves.

Exactly, hob! And did anyone try to find something watchable this weekend on UKTVFood?? Abysmal.

With the exception of Barefoot Contessa, it is a barren wasteland of programming currently.

I think you're right, hob. I think they may be like the proverbial deer in the headlights, they just haven't a clue as to how to fix this problem within their budget constraints. [although it appears the many posters here do]

I chalk it up to limited budgets. Clearly they don't have the sponsors for producing lots of their own programmes so they reply on repeats. But I think they have worn out their inventory without refrshing it, Barefoot Contessa aside. But I did enjoy In Search of Perfection"

If they would only cancel this Market Kitchen tragedy they would have more money to use to bolster their entire programming line-up. I think that MK may be sucking all the £££ from the coffers!

Another reason to dislike Market Kitchen. It's ruining the whole channel.

I wouldn't blame budgets. It doesn't take many quid to put a smile on the presenter's face, add a bit of impromptu dialogue, steady the camera or cook better recipes.

In fact, many of the suggestions on this board would SAVE them money - like cut down or eliminate the distracting "cafe"

Then what could possibly be the explanation Penny? It *must* be £££!!

I think greatfixins suggestion to cancel Market Kitchen is the best way forward. The programme is clearly taking up too much of UKTVFood's limited resources.

They MUST be spending a bundle on Market Kitchen. Five presenters, a raft of guest chaefs [although they do it for free I hear??] the "cafe" staff, the zillion cameras, etc, etc.

It might be reasonable to think that MK is draining UKTVFood of all its resoruces and that's why the rest of the programming is so old and tired.

Interesting point.

Well with all the better viewing figures for the channel as a whole, and revenue from advertising coming in, it must be worth it!!

So, when the rest of the programming was so old and tired while GFL with only ONE Presenter was going on and the old and tired repeats that so many people complained about were still attracting more viewers that GFL and Jeni, well that was different was it?

Please explain how?

I don't know if some of the guest chefs appear for free, certainly the ones I know of don't. But if you know different?

"Better viewing figures" ?!!!?

Ha!

[link]

Not quite. MK has turned out to be a ratings disaster. But of course that is NO surprise.

Strange comment to make.
I thought the general concensus of opion was that BARB figures are not a true reflection and therefore worthless.
In fact I recall that YOU made light of them when I quoted them as my source for a guesstimate on the percentage of dissenters of MK.

Erm. What about the week before when MK Diaries, that awfull hotchpotch of snippets from that dreadfull show, came in 6th. with 53k. viewers.

GFL's best in the only three placings it made in January 2007 was 47k.

Still perhaps they were calculating a different way last year.

Well Market Kitchen is UKTVFood's flagship programme, the only full time production and the only show with its own place on the website. It should get top ten every week to make all this worthwhile.

I still think they MUST be spending a real packet on Market Kitchen. Five+ presenters, a steady stream of guest chefs [although they do it for free I hear??] the "cafe" staff, the zillion cameras, etc, etc.

It is reasonable to think that Market Kitchen is draining UKTVFood of all its resources and that's why the rest of the programming is so very old and tired. It's cheap.

Could it be that the rest of the channel could improve if this millstone of a programme was sent packing?

Yes indeed the rest of the channel would improve if Market Kitchen were axed. And not just because of the few quid they'd save, but also because people would start enjoying the channel again like in the good ole' days!

I used to watch UKTVFood all the time, almost constantly. Now I rarely watch it as it is so uninteresting. And I blame Market Kitchen for most of that.

And the money UKTVFood, and the sponsors, are throwing down the drain as bazza mentions. This is no small production. Silly, isn't it?

This show is such a tragedy - for the presenters, the viewers AND the producers. I won't even mention the sponsors.....


awful, Awful, AWFUL.

Tiresome and tedious thread.

Yes, I agree entirely. Much like Market Kitchen really: tiresome and tedious. From what SockPuppet is saying, though, they may have started to put together the elements that will save this trite production. I look forward to it!!

I have watched it during this last week and have found for whatever reason that it is not as uncaptivating as in the past. Perhaps it's the comparison with the show right after as I've mentioned in another thread.

But I've liked what they cooked and have learnt a bit about how [and when] to rest meat. On GFL they always said "for as long as it took to cook" which is obviously nonsense for most roasts.

OH NO OysterMan "You've not crossed over to the darkside of MK lover????"" I always took that "as long as it take's depends on if you had a fan oven or not??" either way I have never burned/undercooked a recipe from GFL.

I would rather watch one hour of nothing than an episode of Market Kitchen.

If you want to cook something you have to spend a fortune getting everything together, No one outside of a major city has access to a market like that all the time ( Our farmers market is once a month! ) Therefore you have to pay double the price for seasonal fruit and veg in your local super market ( Or grow it like us !)

There is no mass audience anymore. Unlike GFL which appealed to everyone, Market Kitchen is such an elitist show. I hate it and all it stands for. At one point, seasonal veg was about market life and allotments, old skool 'grow your own', not living on a london wage where its okay to spend £20 on a tiny lump of cheese, and quails eggs and what not. It gets me so angry that people think they have to spend a fortune to eat well, its like spending money means you are a higher pegging than everyone else.

Go the your local garden centre, buy some rocket seeds, plant them every week or so and you will have weeks worth of continuous fresh salad leaves available in no time at all. Dont spend £2, 4 times a week for organic leaves. Grow them yourself, you can control what goes into them. You can grow them in pots people, in the city, in the country, students and pensioners alike !!!PEOPLE SAVE YOURSELVES !!!

Sorry for the rant............Bring back GFL. WE should strike and not watch UKTV Food anymore !!!!!!!!! Jen x

Just as MK was changing - for the better; Tana ups and leaves. With the exception of 'The Voice from Hell' I was looking each evening to MK.
Why did she leave? Is that terrible woman continuing?
You converted a GFL 'idiot' to a MK fan. Can you consider an alternative to , you know who. Regards and thanks.

GFL appealed to everyone because it had such a broad scope of topics, had a lively and fun presenter, incorporated a sense of humour, wasn't fixated on chefery or cooking elitism and was ever changing. Anyone could enjoy it, and they did.

Market Kitchen has a much narrower focus, a singular plot line, and no human element. So its appeal is much narrower to only the most extreme "foodie". Whilst I do watch it, I can understand jancatcar why you would think an hour of pleasant nothingness is superior to MK.

May I say thank you to whatever caused Tana to go. She simply is not a TV personality.

Right then Jencatcar and "the fat one" (i'm sure your not) please try to take a breath or two... TVFoodie why help towards the viewing figures of MK? IF YOU DON'T LIKE MK DON'T WATCH IT!!

Dear God I think the majority of us agree that MK is bad and that the departure of Tara is progress but if we could only get rid of TPB etc