READY STEADY CK ...AGAIN!

The much-loved daytime show is back – with a few surprises, says new host Rylan Clark-neal

He’s a Celebrity Masterchef finalist who grew up watching Ready Steady Cook when he got home from school. So who better than Rylan Clark-neal to present a reboot of the iconic daytime show now Ready Steady Cook is returning after ten years.

‘This is a brand new show, but it’s everything that everyone used to know and love,’ says This Morning and Supermarket Sweep host Rylan. ‘I genuinely grew up on it. I came home and Ready Steady Cook was on the TV waiting for me. It made me think, “I’m home!”’

The much-loved show made its debut in 1994 with Fern Britton at the helm, before Ainsley Harriott took over in 2000. His happy-golucky personality turned him into a household name but when the ratings began to flag, the axe fell in 2010. ‘The first thing I did when the BBC asked me to join was call Fern and Ainsley, it’s the way I’ve been brought up,’ says Rylan. ‘If I know someone’s done a job before me, I ask, “Are you all right with me doing it?” Both of them were so lovely. It’s been ten years since the show was on, and a lot has changed since then.’

Not the show’s format, though. As before, two contestants are paired up with a professional chef (Mike Reid, Romy Gill, Ellis Barrie, Akis Petretzikis and Anna Haugh are in this series). For challenge one, contestants bring in ingredients bought on a £10 budget and with their pro chef must create a dish in 20 minutes.

The second challenge has been tweaked slightly. The studio audience hold up cards with the show’s iconic red tomato or green pepper on them, denoting the two teams.

Then contestants pick cards of their colour at random and cook a dish in just ten minutes using the ingredients written on the cards. Odd combinations are likely so the pressure is on to create intriguing flavours. There’ll be surprises in store too, says Rylan, with chef timeouts and wild-card ingredients. Finally, as is tradition, the winners are chosen by the audience. Fortunately Rylan, a keen cook, is happy to give a helping hand. ‘I love getting involved if they want me,’ he says. ‘The more we work together, the more I see how the professional chefs work – every one is different in terms of heritage, inspiration and cooking style.’ Because the show was filmed in real time with no editing out of disasters, half the fun used to be the hysterical bits. There would be blue plasters everywhere Former host Ainsley Harriott when the contestants cut their fingers, and chef Brian Turner once made a rice sandwich – all the rice fell out when it was picked up. Rylan promises more of this.

The new show will reflect the changing times too, with a more sustainable approach. Gone are the famous plastic bags that the contestants brought their goods in – replaced by reusable ones – while unused food will be given to a food bank, and locally sourced produce is favoured.

‘We’ve been talking with the contestants about using seasonal produce to reduce food miles,’ says Rylan. ‘I’ll admit I buy food without thinking too much about it. I think a lot of us do that. But here everyone is playing their part.’

He likes the tweaks and wants to reassure long-term fans. ‘It’s still got the bits we all loved, and you’ll still see amazing dishes cooked in just ten minutes!’

Lisa Sewards Ready Steady Cook, Monday to Friday, 4.30pm, BBC1.