Food and Drink
Encyclopedia
Food and Drink was a long-running British
television
series on BBC Two
between 1982 and 2001. It was the first national television programme in the UK to cover the subject of food and drink without cookery and recipe demonstrations.
Created in 1982 by BBC producer Henry Murray from an original idea by Jancis Robinson
, Fay Maschler and Paul Levy, the first series was presented by Simon Bates
and Gillian Miles, and introduced Jilly Goolden
in her first regular television appearances as the programme's wine expert. Russell Harty
presented filmed location reports from exceptional restaurants around Britain. This series featured the innovative idea of a small contributing audience of 20 people who were called "tasters and testers". The first series broadcast in the summer months but was instantly successful, drawing an average audience of 1.5 million a week, a high rating for BBC Two
in the summer in the 80s.
Later series were presented by Chris Kelly
and chef Michael Barry with wine
experts Jilly Goolden
and Oz Clarke
.
A spin-off panel game, Food and Drink Summer Quiz, aired during the main show's summer break in 1987.
The theme music was by Simon May
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
series on BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
between 1982 and 2001. It was the first national television programme in the UK to cover the subject of food and drink without cookery and recipe demonstrations.
Created in 1982 by BBC producer Henry Murray from an original idea by Jancis Robinson
Jancis Robinson
Jancis Mary Robinson OBE, MW is a British wine critic, journalist and editor of wine literature. She currently writes a weekly column for the Financial Times, and writes for her website jancisrobinson.com...
, Fay Maschler and Paul Levy, the first series was presented by Simon Bates
Simon Bates
Simon Bates is a UK disc jockey and radio presenter. Between 1976 and 1993 he worked at BBC Radio 1, presenting the station's weekday mid-morning show for most of this period. He later became a regular presenter on Classic FM...
and Gillian Miles, and introduced Jilly Goolden
Jilly Goolden
Jilly Goolden is a British wine critic, journalist and television personality.-Education:Goolden was educated at an independent convent school ,-Career:...
in her first regular television appearances as the programme's wine expert. Russell Harty
Russell Harty
Russell Harty was an English television presenter of arts programmes and chat shows.-Early life:Born Frederick Russell Harty in Blackburn, Lancashire, he was the son of a fruit and vegetable stallholder on the local market...
presented filmed location reports from exceptional restaurants around Britain. This series featured the innovative idea of a small contributing audience of 20 people who were called "tasters and testers". The first series broadcast in the summer months but was instantly successful, drawing an average audience of 1.5 million a week, a high rating for BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
in the summer in the 80s.
Later series were presented by Chris Kelly
Chris Kelly (TV presenter)
Chris Kelly Chris Kelly Chris Kelly (born 24 April 1940, Cuddington, Cheshire, is an English TV presenter, producer and writer.-Education:Kelly was educated at Downside School, a Catholic independent school in Stratton-on-the-Fosse in Somerset, followed by the University of...
and chef Michael Barry with wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
experts Jilly Goolden
Jilly Goolden
Jilly Goolden is a British wine critic, journalist and television personality.-Education:Goolden was educated at an independent convent school ,-Career:...
and Oz Clarke
Oz Clarke
Robert "Oz" Clarke is a British wine writer, television presenter and broadcaster.-Biography:Clarke’s parents were a chest physician and a nursing sister. He was brought up near Canterbury with a brother and a sister. Clarke became a chorister at Canterbury Cathedral and subsequently won a choral...
.
A spin-off panel game, Food and Drink Summer Quiz, aired during the main show's summer break in 1987.
The theme music was by Simon May
Simon May
Simon May is a British musician and composer, best known for composing some of British television's best known theme tunes, including EastEnders and Howards' Way, and for composing the music for the 1988 film The Dawning....
.
Transmission guide
- Series 1: 6 editions 6 July 1982 - 10 August 1982
- Series 2: 10 editions 28 April 1983 - 30 June 1983
- Series 3: 7 editions 8 March 1984 - 19 April 1984
- Series 4: 15 editions 25 October 1984 - 26 February 1985
- Series 5: 15 editions 29 October 1985 - 4 March 1986
- Series 6: 17 editions 30 October 1986 - 10 March 1987
- Series 7: 16 editions 27 October 1987 - 1 March 1988
- Series 8: 16 editions 15 November 1988 - 14 March 1989
- Series 9: 15 editions: 28 November 1989 - 20 March 1990
- Series 10: 15 editions 30 October 1990 - 22 February 1991
- Series 11: 18 editions 15 October 1991 - 10 March 1992
- Series 12: 20 editions 20 October 1992 - 19 March 1993
- Series 13: 21 editions: 26 October 1993 - 5 April 1994
- Series 14: 16 editions 8 November 1994 - 28 February 1995
- Series 15: 23 editions 24 October 1995 - 16 April 1996
- Series 16: 23 editions 5 November 1996 - 20 May 1997
- Series 17: 20 editions: 4 November 1997 - 31 March 1998
- Series 18: 28 editions 14 September 1998 - 12 April 1999
- Series 19: 19 editions 26 October 1999 - 21 March 2000
- Series 20: 8 editions 6 September 2000 - 18 October 2000
- Series 21: 12 editions 9 January 2001 - 27 March 2001
- Series 22: 18 editions 16 May 2001 - 16 October 2001
- Series 23: 10 editions 11 December 2001 - 5 March 2002
- Specials
- Christmas Special: 19 December 1983
- Christmas Special: 20 December 1984
- Anton Goes to Sheffield: 28 October 1985
- Christmas Special: 17 December 1985
- Right Again, Anton!: 10 November 1986
- Christmas Special: 17 December 1986
- Summer Quiz: 6 editions 14 July 1987 - 18 August 1987
- Raymond Blanc: 26 October 1987
- Antonio's Italy: 8 November 1988
- Christmas Quiz: 22 December 1988
- Carluccio's Italy: 2 editions 12 August 1989 - 19 August 1989
- Shepherd's Chinese Challenge: 24 November 1989
- Christmas Special "Mastercook": 19 December 1989
- A Man's Place?: 28 October 1990
- Christmas Special: 18 December 1990
- American Special: 8 October 1991
- Christmas Special: 17 December 1991
- A Cook's Tour of Central Europe: 13 October 1992
- The Great Euroguzzle: 9 August 1993
- Choice Cuts: 2 editions 16 August -23 August 1993
- Secrets of the South: 1 November 1994
- A Taste of the New World: 19 December 1994
- Cristmas Special: 17 December 1996