ABSTRACT
Thelastfifteenyearshaveseenanunprecedentedriseinthepopularityof cookeryprogrammesontelevision,notmerelyinthemarginalisedslotsof daytimetelevisionwithdistractedandtransitoryviewers,butinthemore popularprimetimeeveningslotswhereamorededicatedeveningaudience watchesforleisureandrelaxation.Perhapsthestrongestevidenceofthe popularityandmultiplicityofstylesofsuchprogrammesliesinthe introductionofcookery-onlychannelssuchas'CarltonFood'and'Taste' ondigital,cableandsatellitetelevision.Although'Taste'wasshortlived, itsdemisewasfollowedbytheintroductionof'UKFood',whichnow reliesonthepremiereleagueofaudience-pullingtelevisioncooksand chefs,bothpastandpresent,includingFannyCraddock,DeliaSmith,Jamie Oliver,AnthonyWorrallThompson,AinsleyHarriottandNigellaLawson. 'UKFood'isfollowingthenowprovenformulaofpromotingcookery programmesintermsofthepersonalityofthepresenter.Thisfocuson televisioncooks'personalitiesisechoedinthisessay'sdiscussionof NigellaLawson'sNigellaBites(1999)andJamieOliver'sTheNakedChef (1999)primetimeseriesshownonChannel4andBBC2respectively.Both wereregularlywatchedbyaudiencesofaroundtwomillion,placingtheir programmesamongsttheirchannels'mostpopularviewing.Recognising theintertextualitythatliesattheheartoftheproduction,programmingand viewingoftelevision,Iwillalsorefertoothertelevisioncookssuchas DeliaSmith,whosinceherfirstappearancein1973hashadapivotalrole inthedevelopmentofthecookeryprogrammeinBritain.
