John Torode and Lisa Faulkner’s weekend cooking show could be facing the axe from ITV in the New Year, according to insiders.
Despite being part of the network’s festive line-up, the future of John and Lisa’s Weekend Kitchen is reportedly in flux.
Allegedly, this is due to the widespread budget cuts at ITV — but the timing coincides with a controversial year for the former MasterChef star.
John Torode’s ‘nervous wait’
“John is facing a nervous wait about Weekend Kitchen, but it’s not looking good,” a source alleged to The Sun.
“The commissioning team have still not made a decision. Budgets are being slashed, and the show is expensive to make.”
They added: “It will be a major blow to John. He had a really tough time after being sacked from the BBC. He is pushing forward with Lisa and is working hard on a new YouTube cooking show, which has been well received. Naturally, he’s hoping his ITV show will get a redeeming nod, but he’s prepared for the worst.”
ED! has contacted ITV for comment.
John Torode has had difficult year
The reports come five months after the BBC sensationally sacked the culinary expert. In a statement released in July, the BBC disclosed that the allegation involved “an extremely offensive racist term being used in the workplace”.
However, in a now-deleted Instagram post, John vehemently denied this allegation.
He wrote: “I am seeing and reading that I’ve been ‘sacked’ from MasterChef, and I repeat that I have no recollection of what I’m accused of. The enquiry could not even state the date or year of when I am meant to have said something wrong.”
ITV initially backed John
Despite this, ITV continued to air John and Lisa’s Weekend Kitchen as normal. John also appeared on This Morning in the run-up to Christmas.
ITV made its position on the matter clear when Kevin Lygo, ITV’s Management Director of Media and Entertainment, spoke at the Edinburgh TV Festival.
Kevin noted how he “felt it was a bit much for us to jump on the bandwagon and just deny these shows to go out”.
He explained that Weekend Kitchen was pre-recorded, and claimed that ITV “didn’t know the details” of the racism allegations.
“We asked the producers if they had heard of any incidents, and they said no.”
However, given the uncertain future of the cooking programme, it looks like ITV might have changed its tune.
Head to our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you thought of this story. We want to hear your thoughts!