Has MasterChef turned into The Apprentice?Take one Big Brother house, one Apprentice board room, a dash of celebrity cameos and stir… Are too many reality TV cliches spoiling the MasterChef broth? asks David Knox.
Reality television
The hastily scribbled note that changed TV forever
In February 2001, veteran UK TV executive Alan Boyd met with Simon Cowell and Simon Fuller to discuss an idea that would change the face of television forever. Read the notepage of ideas from that meeting that became the blueprint for the Idol phenomenon
The ultimate weight-loss reality show
We’ve had The Biggest Loser, Dance Your Ass Off and now the ultimate weight-loss reality program, brought to you by the home of fatness, the US of A: six people try to lose 50% of their body weight.
MasterChef set to be spoiled by sponsors
It was nice while it lasted: the forthcoming series of Celebrity MasterChef Australia will give its sponsors — including McDonald’s, Harvey Norman and Coles — “tailored on-air” integration, meaning more spruiking and less sauteing.
Why we love cooking shows, but hate cooking
MasterChef, Hell’s Kitchen, The Naked Chef… our appetite for TV cooking shows continues to grow unabated. So why are we spending increasingly less time in the kitchen ourselves? asks food activist Michael Pollan.
A moment’s silence for the passing of Big Brother
Everyone will remember where they were…
