Channel 4 and Jamie Oliver celebrate British food with new series

26 May 2011

Channel 4 Factual Entertainment Commissioner Dominique Walker has ordered a brand-new 6 x 60 minute series, Jamie's Great Britain, in which the chef will travel across the country exploring the stories behind quintessentially British ingredients and dishes and celebrating the social history of Britain told through its food.

Channel 4 Factual Entertainment Commissioner Dominique Walker has ordered a brand-new 6 x 60 minute series, Jamie's Great Britain, in which the chef will travel across the country exploring the stories behind quintessentially British ingredients and dishes and celebrating the social history of Britain told through its food.

From Steak and Kidney Pudding to Fish and Chips, Oliver aims to discover the often surprising stories of how classic British dishes were born, and how they came to earn their place on our plates.  He also cooks some of the delicious regional food which makes Britain one of the world's most exciting and diverse culinary nations.

Each programme will focus on a different city or region - from Bristol, to Essex, to Yorkshire, west Scotland, the East Midlands and South Wales - with Jamie meeting local producers and celebrating regional dishes.

Dominique Walker said:

"In Jamie Does... we saw Jamie Oliver travelling across Europe to experience local cultures through their food. In this new series we see him travelling across Britain, to discover the fascinating stories of how our own food, the dishes we think of as traditionally British, are actually a product of the rich melting pot of cultures that have made our country what it is today.

"The series will be part travelogue around our native isles and part social history of our cuisine, as well as containing many delicious and accessible recipe ideas from Jamie himself".

Jamie's Great Britain (w/t) will be produced by the chef's Fresh One Productions. The executive producer is Zoe Collins and the series director is Mike Matthews. The series is due for TX in Autumn 2011.  A book to accompany the series is published by Michael Joseph on September 30th.