Masterchef Season 7

Mr E

One of my favourite reality shows starts season 7 on Wednesday. Looks like they're copying the audition format from the aussie version. Not sure how I feel about this to be honest. Depends on how long they're going to drag the auditions out for (the aussie audition whittles a large number down to the top 20 in about 6 episodes)

The seventh series of BBC One's MasterChef will feature a revamped set and a new format.

Hosts and judges Gregg Wallace and John Torode will return next Wednesday to hunt for the country's best amateur chef. However, in a new twist, the pair will audition hopefuls one by one.

Exec editor Karen Ross said: "We were keen to drop our six weeks of heats where John and Gregg see up to 132 people. But we still had to give them the chance to choose the final 20 that go into the competition and also to find the best cooks.

"MasterChef can't work if people can't cook. So the auditions were the perfect way to do it."

The auditions will feature the hopefuls cooking for 45 minutes with their own ingredients, before having a final 10 minutes in the judges' room to complete their dish. Torode and Wallace will have to agree afterwards whether to hand them a place in their Top 20 or send them home.

Torode said: "It was the most emotional experience we have ever had because just so much was riding on it for these cooks. And because they were cooking in their own right in front of us, it was extremely nerve-wracking for them.

"There were some contestants that we found so heart-breaking to send home, you could see in their eyes how much they wanted it but we just knew they could never make the standard and survive what was to come later. It was very difficult telling them that to their face."

The Top 20, who will be selected at the end of next week's auditions, will progress to cook in the new MasterChef HQ.

"We were terrified when we walked onto the new set," said Torode. "The scale was nothing we have been used to, but it didn't take long for us and the team to make it into our new home. We think it has given the competition a much bigger sense of jeopardy and also the contestants feel there is more at stake. Has it made for better cooks? Well stay tuned!"

Wallace joked: "Flash new set, but it’s still the same - an Aussie, a bald bloke and some fantastic food."

MasterChef series seven launches on Wednesday, February 16 at 9pm on BBC One.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/s127/masterchef/news/a303124/new-masterchef-format-details-revealed.html

ibarelycare

Excellent, love this show. Is this the first year it's going to be on BBC1?

I've never seen the audition process for the Aussie one, all sounds a bit X-Factorish? Not sure whether I'll like it or not, looking forward to it starting though!

Mr E

Xfactor is a fair comparison.

They cook their food in a larger kitchen, then bring it to a hob/bench in front of the judges for tasting.

The unfortunate similarity with xfactor is that you hear the sob stories when they're in front of the judges -- my dog died, I lost a toe, nobody loves me, I'm unemployed but cooking is my life, this is my life's dream please put me through, if I don't go through I'm going to kill myself, etc. etc.

Not making light of it, but it can be pretty painful.

alibaba12

cheers for the headsup OP.

I personally love the show but dont like the Aussie or NZ versions so dont know if I will like the new style.

ibarelycare

Not mad about this new format so far. I prefer when people come in and have to make something from selected ingredients. Much more recipe (fynarf!) for disaster!

Basq

Mr E wrote: »

Depends on how long they're going to drag the auditions out for

It's a 15 episode series, as opposed to an 84 episode Aussie series- so it'll be nowhere as drawn out as the Aussie one.

ibarelycare

Basq wrote: »

It's a 15 episode series, as opposed to an 84 episode Aussie series- so it'll be nowhere as drawn out as the Aussie one.

Is that all? In previous series they had dozens of episodes. The heats alone went on for weeks and they showed 4 episodes a week of those!

Basq

ibarelycare wrote: »

Is that all? In previous series they had dozens of episodes. The heats alone went on for weeks and they showed 4 episodes a week of those!

Seems to be getting shorter each year..

Season 6 had 21 episodes
Season 5 had 32 episodes
Season 4 had 32 episodes

Mr E

Basq wrote: »

It's a 15 episode series, as opposed to an 84 episode Aussie series- so it'll be nowhere as drawn out as the Aussie one.

Yeah but the auditions in Aus were over with by the end of episode 2 or 3.
Theoretically, MCUK could fill half of the season with them.

drBill

Rubbish rubbish rubbish!! Bloody hell, is there no producer left alive with a bit of bloody imagination and guts? Why is there this need to have everything copying the format of xfactor? They've taken one of my favourite programs and ruined it.

Where do I begin?... If you're picking 20 winners in any competition you don't pick each one as you go along. How can that possibly work correctly? Suppose the best chefs happened to be the last 20 in the auditions and you've already given away 15 places? If you're picking the best 12 chefs out of 20 you don't get them all to cook in one session. How long was everybody standing around twiddling their thumbs on the day that was filmed? How cold was the 20th dish when they finally tasted it? How many of the 20 dishes and competitors did the viewer actually see?

They've ruined what was a brilliant simple honest format. It used to be all about the skill and talent, but now it's just a collection of sound bytes and phony set pieces like all the other crap infecting telly these days. So disappointing.

1966

couldn't agree more - never thought I'd say this (being the shows No.1 fan) but the new format is not doing it for me!!

Very disappointing !!

SL10

Does anyone know where I could find a repeat of Thursdays episode...I missed it and cant watch it on BBC iplayer Thanks

Mr E

There was no episode on Thursday. The only episode last week was Wednesday's one.

Oblomov

The whole thing is edited, the camera angles for the sob stories, the increase in facial expressions, almost as tho there was a reward for the best grimace.
The dynamic duo, Greg and John, they seemed to have overcome what ever differences they had and are more friendly to each other, even to appearing in the same camera shot.

The allocation of places is and determining who goes thro still appears to be influenced by paersonal appeal than success at the variuos tasks.

But, it's still excellent cooking and not bad TV

Basq

As a big fan on this format with the Oz one, it unfortunately doesn't work here.

I'd say go back to the regular format next year.

The Oz one is still fantastic.. but that's mainly due to Gary, George and Matt - some of the most likeable chefs / food critics on TV.

Oblomov

Just finished looking at some of the Masterchef Australia, looks more like a down tuned version of Ramsey's Hell's Kitchen... the red and blue teams, the dress, the treats instead of a working interlude.

I liked the guest chef, Heston bluementhal.... and his dishes.... the awe and respect from the contestants was magic.

The judges are a lot kinder than the UK version.. and giving more information as to the judgement. The choice of kitchen's runs through both programs, the choice of challenge, reliant on teamwork and success is almost the same.

The melodramatic timing, .. so Kitsch.... almost sleazy ....

But, looks good and the quality and style are both excellent.

Basq

The Oz version had probably one of the best cookery TV moments of last year though:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSTAw2EO570

Oblomov

Funnily enough, that was the first of the Oz series I watched....

Bloody good TV ...LOL

Almost as though the critic has a second thought and that he had gone too far.

Basq

Just after finishing last night's episode and.. is it just me or is there a real lack of likeable contestants this year?

I liked Tim (the American) with his odd slant on food at the start.. but as it's went on, his BS (cold Tempura vegetables, and "there's vegetables than I normally cook with that aren't here") has annoyed me to no end!

James is probably the one real likeable contestant in there to be honest.

1966

Yeah definitely a boring bunch this year - so bad I cant recall their names.

The tattoo'd guy is driving me mad speaking out the side of his mouth and playing up the "hard-guy" image.............the nervous vegetarian girl who is over emotional - so bland they are the only two I can remember just now.

Mr E

Not a great season this year. The aussie/nz format just doesn't suit the UK (or maybe they aren't doing it right). Much preferred it last year. Hopefully when they do Masterchef: The Professionals in August/September, they'll go back to the traditional format.

One thing I really like about the UK version is the music. The editors of the show must have a great time syncing the cookery to the music.

Oblomov

Never been really impressed with Tim, tooo much typical American chat. I like John's quick reference to the Pinochio nose..
Very little coverage of Alice and her prep... the variance in Judging... Jackie's shambolic veggie meal for the Circus troupe and yet still stays.. Kennedy goes... justified, the guy had run out of ideas. but the opportune moment and they kept the rest.

OK tip for top... one best chef and LOL one best cook/chef and the most presentable .. ??

could contribute to the overall decision of who wins

NickDrake

Whats the story with Jackie the vegan freak??

How did she stay in last night??

All she does is cry. Major drama queen and he food is all the same.

Seriously annoying

Basq

NickDrake wrote: »

Whats the story with Jackie the vegan freak??

How did she stay in last night??

All she does is cry. Major drama queen and he food is all the same.

Seriously annoying

Yeah, myself and the girlfriend was saying the same thing.

She's a.. grand cook.. she has some flair with her food but she definitely seems a tad unstable. Crying all too-often, freaking out at James when he moved his lamb over her vegan dish and the promo showed her freaking out in next week's episode too.

Her food last night was very dreary looking though.

You know what they say - if you can't stand the heat..

ElleEm

Basq wrote: »

She's a.. grand cook.. she has some flair with her food but she definitely seems a tad unstable. Crying all too-often, freaking out at James when he moved his lamb over her vegan dish and the promo showed her freaking out in next week's episode too.

I noticed that too. You never really see the contestant's relationships with each other as it's such an individual contest, but I'd say she pissed them all off something fierce.

I liked Alice, sad to see her go.

The short woman with short mousey hair seems very talented. And I like the carpenter fella too.

Oblomov

Hmm very suspect... the intro to the dishes part of the program JT asked Alice "what happen if you go home?"

The same question to Sara but in a different tone, then the opinion to the chocolate, abrupt and described as "Mumsy"..........??? The almost easy acceptance by Alice and the smile, hmm had something happened off camera?

The dish supplied by James..... cake and ice cream,

Tum reputation saved by the sorbet but the overall dish canned.

As the show continues the Judges appear to be showing definite signs of favouritism.

alibaba12

I think they have always played favorites. If you look at past seasons they play favorites, by their tone you can always see who they are going to get rid of. Very often it seems to have nothing to do with cooking skills just more a personality thing.

YouTookMyName

Hate the format, hate the studio, hate everyones family.

The old masterchef was unreal tv, this is a pile of crap. Hope the Pros don't go down this route and BBC go back to the old format next year.

Looking forward to seeing the ratings.

drBill

YouTookMyName wrote: »

Hate the format, hate the studio, hate everyones family.

The old masterchef was unreal tv, this is a pile of crap. Hope the Pros don't go down this route and BBC go back to the old format next year.

Looking forward to seeing the ratings.

Agree. I noticed that in one stage of the second most recent episode, they didn't even bother to broadcast what the contestants were told to cook, it was only mentioned when they dishes were being served up.

And I used to like it when they were working in the restaurants and we saw them getting instruction and training about what to do for the service. It gave great insight into the skill and effort involved. Now that's all been dropped so all we see is them sweating and panicking without really knowing what has been asked of them.

They have really dumbed it down to hell. Don't know what way the ratings will go, but there can be no doubt it's geared towards a different audience which may bring figures down or up. I used to love it but not too bothered any more whether I get to see it or not.

Mr E

drBill wrote: »

but there can be no doubt it's geared towards a different audience which may bring figures down or up.

Ratings are pretty steady since the new format started (between 5 and 5½ million). These ratings are up 500k-1m since last year.

http://www.barb.co.uk/report/weeklyTopProgrammesOverview?

Oblomov

The present prog... more emotive expressions, the grimace, the sullen expression from James... the lip biting from Annie..

Tom is getting very consistent and gaining approval from the dynamic duo..

Annie, elegant.... wooot.... .. and undercooked ... ohh dear..

Trying to make it more dramatic... and losing the cooking details ..

Bring back Llyod Grossman? LOL

The conversation during the first judgement, Jackie talking about tasting Tim's sorbet...

They must mix and taste each other's dishes.

The only question, who are all the people on the other side of the door as Alice goes thro?