Step up to the plate (BBC1 weekdays)

Interesting concept here, I am wondering what was going on at the BBC when they decided to commission this one. The format is pretty simple, on one side is a shed load of bored people (usually members of the WI or students), and on the other side are two of the country's most arrogant chefs. They lock heads to do battle over who can make the tastiest dish on the menu which has been created by the desperate hopefuls, and then that stupid American twonk, Loyd Grossman proceeds to dissect the offending bill of fare with a sneer that almost expresses Hitler's attitude towards the Jews. When its time to sample the culinary disasters, he prods each dish as if he is expecting to find a severed head or rat droppings in the middle, sniffs, moans, whinges and eventually takes a bite out of something pretentious with a red wine reduction. Then he says the chefs one is the best. Shocker.

Whats really confusing about this show is the choice of Anton du Beke as presenter. Charismatic is hardly the word I would use to describe him. He pirouttes onto the set, guffaws and simpers his way through the 'what are you cooking' scenario without a shred of interest, and shouts 'Loyd will you step up to the plate' every 5 minutes. Seriously, this guy needs to foxtrot oscar pronto or stick to his dancing because watching him smarm round the studio leaving a slime trail behind him does my bloody head in. And thats not a good thing.

The chefs are a bunch of sullen bastards as well, particularly John Burton Race, who looks like someone re-arranged his face with a claw hammer. They goad the members of the WI on the opposing team into a bit of a verbal sparring match, basically telling them that they are a group of clueless old see you next Tuesdays and that they have about as much chance of winning as Anton du Beke has of developing a personality. Unfortunately theyre right. On both counts.