Sweet dreams

A group of chocolate lovers gets the chance of a lifetime in this new series: the opportunity to create a chocolate bar of their own to be manufactured and produced by Nestlé. They’ll have to earn it first, by taking part in a series of challenges to impress master chocolatier Ruth Hinks – but at least they’ve got Hairy Bikers Dave Myers and Si King on hand for encouragement…

“We were slightly concerned about the competitive element of it,” Si tells Inside TV. “But when it was explained that it was more Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory than Bake Off, it didn’t take Dave and I long to go, ‘This might be quite a good bit of a giggle!’”

“It’s our first show on Channel 5, which we’re very excited about,” adds Dave.

“We haven’t left the BBC, but I think we’re out on loan – like they’ve borrowed a lawnmower! This is far more than a cookery challenge – there’s an element of The Apprentice in it, because what happens is the ultimate prize. And none of the people are chocolatiers, they’re all just passionate cooks and bakers.”

As the contestants were operating in a world that wasn’t familiar to them, there was quite a steep learning curve in the early stages.

“The seven contestants are brilliant,” grins Dave. “They’re good personalities and they are all very different – and from the chaos of episode one, there does become art by the end!”

It wasn’t just an education for the participants, either – both Si and Dave learned a lot about chocolate while filming the series.

“We were going, ‘This is how they make Quality Street, this is amazing!’” chuckles

Si. “There was this wrapping machine – the chocolate came in and it wrapped it, twisted it and spat it out. Dave and

I were fundamentally like two schoolkids let loose in the biggest chocolate factory in Europe – we were saying, ‘I wonder what would happen if you nicked one off the line?’ Our Nestlé handlers were going, ‘You two! Stop that!’”

The show is definitely a departure for Si and Dave – and the pair didn’t know quite what to expect from it…

“I thought that with shows like this, when they’ve got a three-hour challenge, Si and I would disappear to drink tea and read the papers!” admits Dave. “We stayed there and watched, and Ruth could point out when somebody was heading for disaster. You watch it unfold, and you can’t help them! It was quite emotional. I think by episode five, you’ll be in love with the three finalists.”