ANDI OLIVER TO PRESENT 'GREAT BRITISH MENU'

Broadcaster, chef and established Great British Menu judge Andi Oliver will be swapping her seat at the judging table for the heat of the kitchen as she leads the BBC Two cooking competition through a special Christmas series and beyond.

For the Christmas special, taking Andi’s place in a new line-up of judges will be comedian Kerry Godliman, who joins Matthew Fort and Oliver Peyton on the panel. A different guest judge related to the series’ theme of supporting our key workers will also be joining each week. Andi Oliver will compere the scoring and have the deciding vote in the event of a tie.

Andi Oliver says: “I am so completely thrilled and honoured to have been asked to expand my role at Great British Menu! It’s an amazing opportunity to understand the journey that the chefs go through and to watch the evolution of the dishes before they come to judges chamber is a mind blowing revelation. It’s such an extraordinary opportunity to work so closely with the top culinary talent in the country - it’s a privilege I am not taking for granted.”

Patrick Holland, Controller BBC Two, says: “I couldn’t be more delighted that Great British Menu is returning this Christmas with a very special run. And it is terrific that Andi is stepping out from behind the judges’ table to lead the series from now on. She is an amazing talent, bringing unrivalled expertise, insight and enthusiasm to this most brilliant of series. Great British Menu is an essential part of the BBC Two schedule and it saw strong growth in 2020. It is fantastic that Andi will now be making the series her own.”

Sarah Eglin, Executive Producer, says: “We’re delighted that Andi will be presenting Great British Menu - she has been a fantastic judge throughout the series and she brings a wealth of culinary knowledge to the role. The upcoming Christmas series promises to be a very special event for key workers and we can’t wait for GBM fans to see it.”

Great British Christmas Menu will air in early December on BBC Two. Series 16 of the Great British Menu will air in 2021.