Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay was doused in petrol and held at gunpoint as he tried to uncover the dark world of illegal shark fin trading for a new TV show.
The Hell's Kitchen star was shooting scenes for a British programme Big Fish Fight when he confronted gangsters in Costa Rica who had slaughtered thousands of sharks to sell their sought-after fins.
But Ramsay was left terrified when the gang kept their guns trained on him and his TV crew before throwing fuel over him. He was later advised by local police to flee the country for his own safety.
The chef tells Britain's Daily Mail, "It's a multibillion-dollar industry, completely unregulated. We traced some of the biggest culprits to Costa Rica. These gangs operate from places like forts, with barbed-wire and gun towers.
"At one, I managed to shake off the people keeping us away, ran up some stairs to a rooftop and looked down to see thousands of fins, drying on rooftops for as far as the eye could see. When I got back downstairs, they tipped a barrel of petrol over me.
"Back at the wharf, there were people pointing rifles at us to stop us filming. A van pulled up and these seedy characters made us stand against a wall. The police came and advised us to leave the country. They said, 'If you set one foot in there, they'll shoot you.'"
Fox announced Tuesday that it has ordered a second season of Gordon Ramsay’s newest series, Masterchef.
The reality show is the No. 1 new program of the summer among adults 18-49. “Gordon Ramsay is an incredible talent and the biggest culinary star on television today, so we’re very happy to have Gordon and Masterchef back for another season on Fox,” said Mike Darnell, Fox’s president of alternative programming, in a statement. “Masterchef has resonated with viewers this summer, and we look forward to seeing where Gordon takes the show in Season Two.”
“It’s amazing and refreshing to see how much passion and raw talent there is from amateur home cooks across America,” added Ramsay. “It’s extraordinary the amount of energy and excitement the show brought in Season One, and I’m thrilled to be back at Fox for a second season.”
The first season finale of the show will air September 15th, when the remaining four home cooks go head-to-head and battle it out to become the Masterchef. The winner will earn the title of America’s Best Home Cook and win $250,000 and a cookbook-publishing deal.
A recuperating David Beckham shares a laugh with chef Gordon Ramsay courtside at a Lakers game at L.A.'s Staples Center Sunday night, where the Portland Trail Blazers beat the defending NBA champs, 91-88.
Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay has been given just weeks to pay off outstanding tax debts for two of his restaurants after he was taken to court over the outstanding sums.
The British cookery expert presents a string of TV shows - including Hell's Kitchen and Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares - in both the U.S. and U.K. and owns over 20 eateries across the world.
Ramsay admitted he was recently advised to file for bankruptcy because his upmarket venues were hit hard by the economic downturn.
The star managed to stave off the debt-collectors momentarily by pumping $8 million of his own money into his empire in a last ditch bid to keep it afloat.
But on Wednesday Ramsay was ordered to pay off the debts relating to a restaurant in Mayfair, London and his Plane Food joint in the British capital's Heathrow airport.
Tax debts for two of his other London restaurants had already been paid prior to the hearing, which Ramsay was not present for
Foodies, get ready for a culinary "American Idol."
Fox is expanding its line of Gordon Ramsay reality shows by giving a series order to Reveille's "MasterChef."
Ramsay will co-produce and star in the program, in which nonprofessional cooks compete to create perfect dishes. The project is based on a format that's popular in the U.K. and Australia. The show joins Ramsay's other titles on Fox -- "Hell's Kitchen" and "Kitchen Nightmares" -- and should keep the network stocked with the temperamental chef's reality fare nearly year-around.
The "MasterChef" format has aired in several incarnations in the U.K., with the earliest dating to 1990. The Australian edition premiered this year and has been a ratings powerhouse, its finale ranking as one of the country's most-watched programs in a decade.
"This is a huge, nationwide search for the best amateur cook in America," said executive producer Howard T. Owens of production company Reveille. "It's about people who are lawyers, construction workers and stay-at-home moms but whose real passion is to make great food. This is their shot to prove they have what it takes."
The details for Fox's "MasterChef" are being worked out, but the show will most closely resemble the Australian edition. In each season, contestants from around the country audition by creating a dish for a panel of three judges to earn spots as semi-finalists. The remaining contestants compete each week via team-based and individual cooking challenges until only one remains.
Since Fox is ordering relatively few episodes (between 12 and 15) compared to the Australia edition, which aired six nights a week, the format is expected to evolve over the coming weeks. Scheduling has yet to be determined. One possible scenario is Fox will air a late spring edition of "Hell's Kitchen" that will bleed into the summer and then, out of "Kitchen," unveil "MasterChef."
"Hell's Kitchen" is the network's second-most-popular reality series after "American Idol," yet it's more versatile than the singing competition -- Fox has aired "Hell's" all over its schedule and at different times of the year, and the show always performs competitively. "Kitchen Nightmares" has been a more modest performer and is expected to return sometime next year. Fox also has a live cooking special coming up with Ramsay called "Cook Along."
Gordon Ramsay might be able to take the heat in the kitchen but when Simon Cowell remarked on his deep facial lines, the celebrity chef decided enough was enough.
"My mother said they were smile lines," the Michelin-starred chef told Britain's Radio Times magazine, referring to the deep grooves on his chin. "I could deal with that at 21, but not at 42."
Furthermore, he said, "Simon Cowell suggested that now I'm a success in America, I should do something, so I had a filler put under the deep crevices."
Not that Ramsey's embarrassed to say the $650 treatment left him feeling more than a little sore, admitting: "It hurt."
In the last year, Gordon Ramsay's vast worldwide restaurant empire was hit by financial woes, while his private life came under scrutiny with reports of an alleged affair. But the British chef says the incident has only made his marriage to his wife, Tana, stronger than ever.
"She's brilliant. That hurricane made us incredibly closer with the support of friends like David and Victoria [Beckham] and our families," he says. "We stopped reading newspapers."
But the fiery chef, who has just added a cafe to his London West Hollywood restaurant in Los Angeles, isn't denying the fact that he's had a tough time. "It was a year from hell. But when I take a beating, I come back twice as strong."
British celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay is the latest victim of the international economic downturn - he has been facing bankruptcy after profits plunged at his international restaurant chain.
The cookery expert presents a string of TV shows - including Hell's Kitchen and Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares - in both the U.S. and U.K. and owns over 20 restaurants across the world.
Ramsey has admitted he was recently advised to file for bankruptcy because his upmarket eateries have been hit hard by the international recession. He has been forced to sell his luxury sports car and is even considering offloading his London home in a bid to pay his debts.
But the star has been able to stave off the debt-collectors for the moment by pumping $8 million (£5 million) of his own money into the company in a last ditch bid to keep the business afloat.
Ramsey has also laid off 15 per cent of his 1,200 staff and cut back costs - but he hopes the frightening experience has made him a better restaurateur.
He tells Fox News, "I faced bankruptcy. Heading out of global economic downturn has been tough. Customers just disappeared. Those that were in the restaurants weren't drinking wine. All were on tap water.
"Then we had a huge downturn, Monday to Thursday. Your staff costs are the same, your running costs are the same. It was a nightmare. All of a sudden, this whole thing was nothing to do with cooking. I had my own personal nightmare.
"I've learned a lot from a chef's point of view in terms of business. I'm not a businessman, but I certainly don't walk around with my head tucked up my backside. For me, it was a learning curve."
Summer used to mean TV rerun hell, but that is so no longer the case. From HBO's Hung, which is a about a man with an oversized appendage, to NYC Prep, Bravo's reality answer to Gossip Girl, discover summer's new addictions and check out what's in store for your some of your favorite returning shows.
Check out our picks for this summer's best must-watch TV.
America's Got Talent (Season 4)
NBC - Tuesday, June 23rd, 9:00 pm
It might be a little difficult to top the force to reckon with that some people like to call Susan Boyle, after her groundbreaking performance on Britain's Got Talent, but rest assured be that on this whole, wide continent there is some spectacular talent still to be found. So much talent, in fact, that you can expect a two-hour premiere filled with it on June 23 as well as an additional hour on June 24. Get ready to watch dreams come true America!
NYC Prep
Bravo - Tuesday, June 23rd, 10:00 pm
If the faux-Upper East Side drama on Gossip Girl doesn't cut it for you realists out there, Bravo has heard your prayers and answered them with its' newest and possibly soon to be hit show NYC Prep. Follow the still faux drama (let's face it) of a real deal batch of spoiled prep school kids who are ready to show those Cali kids on the Hills that New York can do it better.
Hung
HBO - Sunday, June 28th, 10:00 pm
In the business of writing, blogging, or whatever it's called these days, sensational headlines are just a part of the package. But in this case, what you read is actually what you get.
HBO's latest dramady, follows the adventures and of a simple man, who is decidedly er, 'well hung,' and is determined to make it work to his advantage. Coming to term with his physiological gift is only the first step. "I've got a big dick, now what do I do with it?" We will certainly find out.
Check out the Hung promo below:
Great American Road Trip
NBC - Tuesday, July 7th, 8:00 pm
Roadtrips are great. Families can be great. However roadtrips combined with families sounds like trouble. On this adrenaline filled adventure, seven families square off to compete in a cross-country mission, tackling obstacle course after challenge, after obstacle course -- and we can only imagine that they all wrestle with some serious family demons along the way.
Entourage
HBO - Sunday, July 12th, 10:30 pm
It's rare to come across a show where every character has so much to offer, and that's what makes every season of this Hollywood drama worth watching. The antics of Ari, Lloyd and all the rest of the crew are simply a necessary part of the summer schedule. This season's guest appearances include Zac Efron, Lebron James and Tom Brady.
Hell's Kitchen (Season 6)
Fox - Tuesday, July 21st, 8:00 pm
It's questionable whether or not America really needs another season of Gordon Ramsay crushing the confidence and dreams of a batch of eager chefs, but after his recent publicity for letting his tongue slip a little too far, we'll watch just to see if he turns over a new leaf and decides to use positive reinforcement this time around instead.
Mad Men
AMC - Sunday, August 16th, 10:00 pm
Get a crash course in 1960s American culture with AMC's smash hit, penned by Sopranos writer Matthew Weiner. Mad Men returns for its' third season this August as six time Emmy winner.
Project Runway (Season 6)
Lifetime - Thursday, August 20th, 10:00 pm
After a five season run, it's safe to say that this show contains a few elements that can never get old: Heidi Klum, designer fashion, odd contestants, and Tim Gunn. Hopefully after another season of hearing Tim tell contestants to "Make it Work," we can finally start applying that advice to our own lives.
No-nonsense chef Gordon Ramsay returns for a fifth season of take-no-prisoners mentoring with a new crew of 16 aspiring chefs, whom he puts through a series of stressful, profanity-laced challenges.
The winner who manages to please the demanding Ramsay will win the position of head chef at Atlantic City's Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa.
In other Ramsey news...
Fox plans Gordon Ramsay cook-along, but no F-bombs are allowed.
How will he do it?
Fox is looking to do at least one live special where "Hell's Kitchen" star Gordon Ramsay shows viewers how to make a dinner.
The program will urge viewers to make a three-course homemade meal along with the world-famous chef. "It has been picked up, and I can't wait for it to go live," Ramsay said Wednesday. "My frustration is that most cooking shows don't really cook ... their ingredients are prepped earlier, that's not cooking ... it's nice to show the journey from live ingredient to (finished meal)."
No air date has been set for Ramsay's modern-day take on Julia Child, though the network is eyeing spring or fall. If the one-off is successful, the network hopes to do more specials, though it doesn't see the format as likely working as a weekly series.
The format is based on the chef's U.K. version of the project called "Cook Along," which prompted thousands of viewers to hold cooking parties along with the show. Viewers are told which ingredients they'll need ahead of time and then are breezily led through the cooking process. Fox plans to intercut shots of a few families cooking as well.
Last year, Fox gave Ramsay a blind commitment for an as-yet-unannounced new series and the live special as part of a new overall deal with the chef.
David Beckham has responded to Gordon Ramsay's claims that he needed extra padding for his saucy underwear snaps. Becks has a lucrative deal with Emporio Armani to model its men's underwear range. But pal Gordon, 41, jokes that David, 33, isn't all he seems to be in the shots.‘Did you put satsumas down your pants for the Armani adverts?’ he asks in a joint interview for GQ. But David insists he didn’t need any help in the Goldenballs department.
‘Gordon should know,’ he tells GQ. ‘He’s one of my best friends, so he should know the truth. He knows it wasn’t retouched.
'I would never ask them to change anything. It was a question of trying to find a good position that wasn’t too much. ‘There’s a big billboard of it on Sunset Strip [in Los Angeles] and a couple of players from [LA Galaxy] have mentioned they’ve nearly crashed going past it!’
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Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay was doused in petrol and held at gunpoint as he tried to uncover the dark world of illegal shark fin trading for a new TV show.
NYC Prep
Hell's Kitchen (Season 6)
Project Runway (Season 6)
