Having teamed up last year for a week gorging on early 20th-century fare (in Edwardian Supersize Me), restaurant critic Giles Coren (pictured) and writer and comedian Sue Perkins (pictured) are back. Their new series is part-history lesson, part-cookery class.
In tonight's opener the intrepid duo go wartime. They dress up in genuine 1940s clobber and grab their ration books for a week to find out what Mr and Mrs Joe Public ate during the Second World War. The diet - including Spam, dried egg, Wheaties, special margarine, the National Loaf and vast quantities of potatoes - were genuine Government-approved foods and the recipes are authentically prepared with the help of chef Allegra McEvedy.
The format works brilliantly. Coren and Perkins balance each other neatly, with plenty of humour and an on-screen frisson of friskiness that's quite charming. The clothes and the sets work well, and there's plenty of trivia along the way. Naturally there are shades of 1940s House here, but it's still a novel twist on history documentaries and cookery programmes, building into a fascinating look at the dull and grey foods that the British were obliged to eat during the war.
In future weeks Coren and Perkins will be sampling the cuisine of other eras in Britain's history - including Elizabethan, Restoration, Regency and Victorian. I'm particularly looking forward to their take on the 1970s. Prawn cocktail, gammon with pineapple and Baked Alaska, anyone?
Ive just found out on wikipedia that a second series of 'Supersizers Go' is in production! Not only is this something great to look forward to but also highlights the great success of the first series and surely increases the chance of a DVD being released!! fingers crossed guys !!
November 7th - 5:50pmAnna said...
Please, please, please make this into a DVD, BBC! Was tv gold!
November 1st - 9:48amAmanda said...
Another Plea for a DVD of Supersizers GO! Saw only 2 shows while visiting the UK from the States and I adore it. Would love to see more and would definitely buy to give as gifts to my whole family!!
October 28th - 4:29pmGeraldine Fryer said...
Please, bring a DVD out of this series! Def on my xmas list. We saw Sue and Giles at Cheltenham Festival of Lit, they were hilarious live too!
October 27th - 5:12pmrachael b said...
this series is amazing!!! i really want this on dvd cos i'd like to give it to my mum as a present. please, please please bring it out!
September 19th - 11:54amNatalie said...
Love love love love this programme! I've sky +'d all but 2 of them and watch them over and over again. Giles Coren is wonderful and very easy on the eye! Sue Perkins is hilarious as always and together they are TV Gold. Please please BBC, can you bring this series out on DVD. I have emailed them to ask if it's planned but they are saying no....if we all email them maybe they will have to change their minds!
September 18th - 8:26pmKirsty said...
Another plea for this series to be publishined on DVD! Sue and Giles work so well together... and are very brave given some of the things they were asked to eat (tansy omelette for one). Humour and revulsion in one program - excellent!
August 21st - 6:01pmKristie said...
I LOVE THIS SHOW. I would love to have it on DVD.
August 18th - 8:52pmCotty73 said...
Please Please Please Mr BBC bring this innovative,amusing and educational series to DVD. Coren and Perkins are great together and the 1970's episode was absolute TV Gold !!!!
August 13th - 10:08pmSKoss said...
Does anyone know if BBC plans to issue this on DVD? I watched 2 episodes while on vacation in London and would really like to see them all. BBC America does not carry this program.
July 28th - 5:13pmHelen said...
I've been searching in the hope that a DVD is out but I can't find one - please tell me there are plans for it. The programme was very enjoyable but I missed 1or 2.
July 19th - 9:05amkaty said...
Hi, please please bring out a DVD of this very entertaining programme,my daughter loved it and found it very useful for her school project.
June 27th - 11:21amRachel said...
Really interesting and truly funny...please say you'll bring out a DVD, this programme made me happy....more tv lke this please!!
June 27th - 9:32amsue and stuart brannen said...
The only programme my husband will stay up and watch!! Utterly brilliant informative but so funny. Please, please repeat the series very soon as we missed the first few episodes due to being put off by the strange title. We laughed out loud which doesnt happen very often now adays. Fantastic achievement for everyone concerned in the programme. Thank you.
June 25th - 1:40pmAngelina said...
Laughed out loud and enjoyed every minute- I missed the first half a few episodes so please bring out a DVD!!
June 22nd - 5:28pmStephen Grant said...
Best programme BBC have put on for years.Funny,interesting,and educational to boot.(Not to mention stomach churning,on occasions)The two presenters are a perfect double act,and the whole package makes for a very entertaining experience.More,please.
Steve Grant
June 21st - 10:20pmjj said...
Great fun programmes. Is there a DVD of the series?
June 10th - 10:25pmBelinda Condron said...
Hi!
I would just like to say how much i love your programme, mainly because it is put in a fun and a hilarious way unlike it is put in school which is boring. I like the way you put learning in to it as well. this also helps me with my food studies aswell as my history. I can't wait for the next episode. So keep up the good work, i love it.
June 10th - 10:23pmTrish Mayner said...
What?!?! I was 20 in 1975 and DO NOT remember my mum serving up some of those weird meals!My boyfriend and I went to Ibiza in '76 with Palmair,not Concord!Why choose the most expensive end of the market?Most people couldn't afford half the stuff or the lifestyle shown.I was 8 stone 4,walked or bused every where and never suffered any kind of indigestion!Some of the clothes I wouldn't have been seen dead in,far to 60's.Where was the Lurex?Cheesecloth?Halternecks?My husband (then boyfriend) did recognise the shoes though!We celebrate our 30th anniverary this year and it was nice to some extent to briefly relive those heady days,however inaccurate!
May 28th - 1:52pmMrs J. Walker-Hebborn said...
I love this programme. It is so interesting and Sue Perkins and Giles Coren present it in a hilarious style. Look forward to the next episodes.
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