August 2011: BBC Studios and Post Production has won Britain's Best Dish – The Chefs, made by ITV Studios for ITV1 Daytime. Previously recorded at the The London Studios, it will be the first series to be made in Television Centre’s newly upgraded HD studio, Studio Three.

Britain’s Best Dish – The Chefs, will see professional chefs rather than amateur cooks compete to prove they have the nation’s best dish judged by some of the nation’s fiercest critics and esteemed experts from Britain’s best selling restaurant guide – The Good Food Guide. Presented by Mary Nightingale, the high pressured cooking competition will culminate in a grand final that will see the talented finalists cook for the expert judges plus a studio audience of 100 diners.

BBC Studios and Post Production, a commercial subsidiary of the BBC, is supplying full studio facilities for 36 of the 40 60 minute episodes, which are being recorded across 18 days.

Studio Three is being converted from standard definition to 1080 50p high definition to support the series as well as meet increasing customer demand for HD production. It will be the fifth permanent HD studio at Television Centre. BBC Studios and Post Production can already deliver HD from all of its Television Centre studios via HD flyaway equipment, but this latest investment enables a greater number of HD productions to be delivered simultaneously. Other series being supported by BBC Studios and Post Production in September include Tiger Aspect’s Argumental for Dave, Magnum’s Chris Moyles’ Quiz Night for Channel 4, Talkback Thames’s Nevermind the Buzzcocks for BBC Two, CPL Production’s A League of Their Own for Sky and Strictly Come Dancing –now in its ninth series with BBC Studios and Post Production.

Filming of Britain’s Best Dish: The Chefs starts in September and the series is expected to transmit in the autumn.

Executive Producer from ITV Studios Ed Sayer says: “Every series we raise the bar for Britain’s Best Dish and as a result we attract some of the best cooking talent the country has to offer. We’re delighted to be making this series at Television Centre and enjoying the extra space available and access to the latest HD equipment. Professional chefs are a competitive bunch and this promises to be the most keenly fought Britain’s Best Dish ever.”

Charlotte Forde, Commercial Manager, BBC Studios and Post Production says: “Our team is really excited about working with ITV Studios to make their flagship cookery show and we’re pleased to be able to provide brand new HD facilities for them. We’ve got a busy autumn ahead in our Television Centre studios, with Britain’s Best Dish –The Chefs being one of a number of hugely successful titles that have chosen to come and work with us, which is fantastic.”

BBC Studios and Post Production works in partnership with a broad range of media companies creating content across all genres for a variety of broadcasters including the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Five and Sky. The company helps to make some of the UK’s favourite programming, from award winning continuing drama EastEnders to entertainment shows such as Harry Hill’s TV Burp and Deal or No Deal, as well as supporting complex live productions of events like the FIFA World Cup 2010, the Olympics and the General Election. Last year it worked with over 250 media companies and customers.

For further information, please contact:
Georgie Hollett, Head of Communications, BBC Studios and Post Production
Tel: +44 (0)20 8624 9495
Mobile : +44 (0) 783484 5612
Email : georgie.hollett@bbc.co.uk

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