Home economics

Televisual reports that the BBC is putting Saturday Kitchen out to tender. It's already produced by an indie, and BBC Studios can't bid.

Apparently the current price for Saturday Kitchen Live is £28-30k per show, with the highlights show costing £3-4k. The new contract will run from Spring next year, for three years. It could be worth more than £5m.

Producers Cactus started on the show in 2006 (it began in 2002, part-funded by Open University money for its 'educational content') and, since 2012, it's come from a converted chapel off Clapham High Street, which is also home to the Michel Roux Jr Cookery School. For £175pp, twelve punters join some of the chefs after the live show, and get to do the Omelette Challenge. That brings in around £2,000 every Saturday. A once-a-month Premier Day with Michel Roux himself runs at £995pp. Other sessions start at a more modest £149.  There are options for private and corporate hire.

I suspect the kitchens are fitted out at a discount by some of the School's 'partners'.  Expect the Cactus bid to be keen.