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READY STEADY SHOOK

Ready Steady Cook is returning with Rylan Clark-Neal as host – and no Ainsley Harriott

THE BBC are rebooting legendary cooking show Ready Steady Cook but without host Ainsley Harriott at the helm.

Beeb bosses have handed the show to in-demand Rylan Clark-Neal, 30, who will front the programme when it returns in 2020 on BBC1.

 Rylan Clark-Neal will front the BBC's reboot of Ready Steady Cook
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Rylan Clark-Neal will front the BBC's reboot of Ready Steady CookCredit: PA:Press Association

The series — which Ainsley, 62, hosted for more than 1,000 episodes before the show was axed in 2010 — was previously on BBC2 but is being moved for its comeback.

Bosses say the revamped franchise will reflect contemporary food themes, from cooking on a budget to eating healthily, mirroring the changes in food and British cooking over the past decade.

It will also feature a series of up-and-coming chefs all taking on the show’s challenges, including the likes of Mike Reid, Romy Gill, Akis Petretzikis, Ellis Barrie and Anna Haugh.

The show previously helped launch the careers of a series of household name chef such as Gino D’Acampo and James Martin.

 Rylan is taking over from Ainsley Harriott, who hosted for more than 1,000 episodes before the show was axed
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Rylan is taking over from Ainsley Harriott, who hosted for more than 1,000 episodes before the show was axedCredit: BBC

In each episode two contestants are each paired up with a chef, going head to head in the newly-designed Ready Steady Cook kitchen.

In the first challenge, each contestant comes armed with their bag of ingredients, all bought within a £10 budget.

They’ll have just 20 minutes to create delicious, surprising and inspiring dishes ready to wow the discerning studio audience.

The revamped second challenge is even faster, as each pair has just 10 minutes to create yet more amazing dishes, this time based on audience ingredients cards.

 The BBC cooking show launched the careers of James Martin and Gino D’Acampo
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The BBC cooking show launched the careers of James Martin and Gino D’AcampoCredit: Alamy

Rylan said on Tuesday night: “I’m so excited that Ready Steady Cook is finally coming back to our screens. To be asked to host such an amazing show for the BBC is such a privilege. After making the finals of Celebrity MasterChef I know how tough cooking under pressure can be.”

It’s Rylan’s latest high-profile job for the BBC, after being handed a Radio 2 show, the Strictly spin-off show It Takes Two, and their Eurovision coverage.

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