Who is Simon Rimmer? Sunday Brunch presenter, celebrity chef and Britain’s Favourite Food presenter who appeared on Strictly Come Dancing
ALONGSIDE Tim Lovejoy, Simon Rimmer is one half of weekend telly's mid-morning presenting pair on Sunday Brunch.
The TV personality was on the dancefloor for the 2017 series of Strictly Come Dancing partnered with Karen Clifton – but he got voted off in week six after a nailbiting dance-off. Here's the lowdown...
Who is Simon Rimmer?
Simon Rimmer is a chef and restaurateur who rose to TV fame as co-host of the anarchic weekend show Sunday Brunch.
Born in Merseyside in 1963, he taught himself to cook after initially studying fashion and textiles.
He opened vegetarian restaurant Greens in Manchester in 1990, and it quickly became one of the most exciting new eateries in the country.
The 56-year-old followed that up with his second restaurant – Earle, in Greater Manchester, which has met similar acclaim since opening in 2006.
Beyond his TV work, Simon has published five cookbooks, and regularly crops up writing in food mags.
He is married with two children, and an ardent football fan – he supports Liverpool, but appeared on BBC quiz Mastermind with Tranmere Rovers as his specialist subject.
When did Simon start presenting Sunday Brunch?
After beginning his TV career with regular slots on shows such as This Morning and Granada Tonight, Simon got his big break on Something for the Weekend.
The Sunday morning BBC Two show featured cookery, drinks and celebrity guests, and saw the start of Simon's fruitful on-screen partnership with Tim Lovejoy.
The cheeky duo presented Something for the Weekend from 2006-2012, when it was cancelled due to budget cuts.
However, Channel 4 jumped at the chance to snap up the popular programme and its star hosts, and launched the near-identical Sunday Brunch just a week after the show was axed.
In the five years since, the show has become essential weekend viewing for many, with it's laid-back, often chaotic style leading to some frequently hilarious, and occasionally surreal live telly.
The hit show spawned a short-lived spin-off, Daily Brunch, in 2014, but the project lasted just eight weeks.
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What other TV shows has Simon appeared on?
Simon appeared on the very first series of the BBC elite cooking show Great British Menu in 2006.
However, he lost in the North of England heat to superstar chef Marcus Wareing.
He also presented the Channel 4 quiz show Win It, Cook It in 2014, and has fronted two series of Tricks of the Restaurant Trade.