BBC News Culture
BBCOnly two million people tuned in the first episode of the new series of MasterShefs, a decline compared to last year, after a rocky period for the show in which both its presenter was dismissed.
Around 2.7 million viewers watched last year’s launch show. However, it is difficult to compare data, due to many factors, including episodes going in different times of the year.
Greg Wallace and John Torode Both were dismissed last month After a report in conduct on cooking, the allegations against him upheld.
The BBC still decided to show this year’s Amateur series – which was filmed before dismissal – saying that it was “to do the right thing” for the participating chef.
But it faced a backlash from some women, which came forward, as well as the broadcast union bectu, who said that the episodes could be “trigger” for those who had complaints.
The first three episodes were released on the IPlayer on Wednesday morning, with the series opener aired on BBC One at 20:00 BST.
According to overnight figures, the launch of the previous night had 1.96 meters viewers, compared to last year’s launch show which had 2.73 meters audience.
The fall should be seen against a background in which the figures of terrestrial TV watching are falling year after year.
The first episode of last year came out in the evening and a bank on the Holiday first. It also went out in April, while it went out in August this year – a month that is for less viewers.
The day the MasterShef launched in 2024, the highest rated program was regional news with 3.7 million spectators.
The highest rated program of the previous night was the regional news bulletin of BBC One, with three million people tuning, which means that its figures are similar to the MasterShef in almost the same amount.
‘He has edited jokes’
Beyond the broadcast of the new series, there was speculation that the new episode could be re -edited to reduce the appearance of Wallace and Torode.
Both presenters appear from the beginning and throughout the episode, but the normal jokes appear between them and the chefs than the normal and low chat.
The Daily Star’s front page highlighted the criticism of the new series, stating that the heavy editing after the presenter was dismissed for misconduct has left the show strange and “hut”.
In a review, Telegraph critic Ed Coming wrote: “To show how seriously the BBC has taken the allegations against the presenter, they have edited their jokes.” The resulting chain “lack of pizzaz”, he said.
Vicky Jessup of Standard wrote: “There is no joke here – the production team is probably nervous that some of them say that it will be taken incorrectly.”
The first episode “left a little sour taste in the mouth”, she said – a feeling echoed By Nick Hilton of IndependentThose who wrote that the series is “tingered with a strange, bitter afterstaste”.
Talking to the BBC breakfast, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandi said as an audience, “Surely not watching it”, but it was not his place to tell the broadcasters to tell what they could or not.
Meanwhile, former celebrity mastershef contestant Kirsty Wark – who first came forward for BBC News with claims against Walless – suggested that the BBC may have resumed the series without two co -masters.
The BBC earlier stated that it was not a “easy decision” to run the series, saying that there was a “broad support” between the chefs to move forward.
Keep the complaints upheld
Controversy over MasterShef began last year, when BBC News revealed first Claims of misconduct against Wallace.
In July, a report by the show’s production company Banijay revealed that 83 complaints against Wallace were retained more than 40, including one in unwanted physical contact and one of the other three.
He has insisted that he has been approved by “the most serious and sensational allegations”.
In a recent interview With Suraj, he said that he was hurt by anyone, but he insisted that he was “a group, a sex insect or not a flasher”.
In 2018, a complaint against Torodes related to a serious aggressive racist word allegedly on the set of MasterShef.
The presenter stated that he had “no remembrance” and any racist language is “completely unacceptable”.
Wallace will be replaced by Irish Chef Anna Hug in the final episode of the new series, as the allegations against him were first revealed during the filming in November.
