Celebrity ban ...
chef Gordon Ramsay
FIREBRAND chef Gordon Ramsay has revealed he will never do another series of Hell's Kitchen after branding the show's cast of stars "a bunch of whingers."
Ramsay, 37, says celebs are now banned from his workplace despite the success of the ITV1 series.
In an exclusive interview the chef, famous for his tongue-lashings peppered with bad language, said: "I was dealing with a bunch of whingers.
"The amount of times they were seeing the show's psychiatrist was amazing. It's just not for me - I am not putting up with that again.
"I will never do a show like Hell's Kitchen again."
Ramsay, who is a former professional footballer, added: "I am not losing any sleep over what I said to them. The hardest thing was dealing with their baggage and insecurities.
"People asked me, 'How could you do that to celebrities?' But they were getting paid £25,000 a week to go in there. Would you do it for £25,000? Of course you would.
"Most people don't get paid that in a year and yet they were still
GORDON
ON EDWINA
She didn’t want to listen. She got my back up by being plain ignorant"They were there to work, not sit around on their a*ses. Some of them hadn't done a day's work in their life. It was an amazing insight into that sort of life."
Sprinter Dwain Chambers, Tory politician Edwina Currie and ex-Corrie star Amanda Barrie got a real roasting from the outspoken chef.
He said: "It fascinates me when people say things like, 'How could you swear at Edwina like that?' What? I was prepared to teach her something but she didn't want to listen and got my back up by being plain ignorant.
"She's getting paid phenomenally well to be in there and you want me to wipe her a*se? Jesus Christ!
"Dwain Chambers walks in and then runs off again. He's a man who wanted to revive his image ... and he's saying it is too hard being on his feet. For God's sake he's an athlete.
"And
Amanda Barrie? What is a 70-odd year old doing in there, drinking 'til three in the morning - and she even went to hit me. She took a swipe at me.
"She thought Abi Titmuss and Al Murray were insiders, that the whole thing was a set-up."
Ramsay added: "It was cleverly edited so you didn't see 90 per cent of the whinging - in reality it was embarrassing.
"But it was also a great learning curve. We got them there, the ones who really wanted it - they were there to cook.
"They weren't interested in launching a CD or a book."
Only show winner Jennifer Ellison, actor James Dreyfus and comic Murray escaped a dressing down.
He said: "There were individuals in there that clearly could cook - James, Jennifer and Al - but almost all the rest were past their sell-by date,
"I've seen Jen, Al and James since and they were genuine people who wanted to learn and were happy to work hard.
"But some of them had a game plan - to rub me up the wrong way to look good on TV. That was stupid. All I wanted to do was run a restaurant."
Ramsay revealed that his next project, for American TV, will feature rookie chefs working in his kitchen.
There won't be a hint of celebrity - just keen young hopefuls anxious to make the grade and, of course, to get their hands on the prize - the chance to run a two-million-dollar restaurant.
Ramsay said: "It's going to be fantastic because they are real people who really want it."
The dad-of-four was speaking as he filmed a TV commercial with Gary Lineker for Walkers Crisps' new range, Great British Dinners.
He couldn't resist a swipe at TV chefs Antony Worrall Thompson and Ainsley Harriott.
Ramsay said: "Hell's Kitchen was such an eye-opener for the public because they'd never seen the nitty-gritty behind the scenes and thought it was all Antony and Ainsley having fun.
"It is a different ball game and I would like to see those guys do my job for a day because they would melt within minutes.
"As professional chefs we should be able to do some things with our eyes closed.
"So to laugh at the public because they can't chop cucumbers, peel potatoes and slice onions, then humiliate them in front of the audience because of their inadequacy is shocking. It is a p*** take."
And, despite a stinging rebuke from TV authorities about the level of swearing on Hell's Kitchen, Ramsay will not be toning down his language for US audiences.
He said: "I am not worried about the complaints. Worried? Oh b*****ks, far from it. It's kitchen language. I am not going to change. It is who I am. I can take you to virtually any restaurant and the chef is going to be swearing."
The Americans like his attitude so much there is talk of a Hollywood role.
Ramsay added: "The Americans have mentioned the possibility of a film part but I don't know about that. Imagine the stick I would get."
Sun
