Jamie Oliver will do a one-off "retrospective special" of 'The Naked Chef' next year.

Jamie Oliver

Jamie Oliver

The 42-year-old culinary genius' popular cooking show first hit television screens in 1999 and ran for three seasons plus three subsequent festive specials and, as part of its 20th anniversary in 2019, he has decided to revisit it.

Speaking to The Sun newspaper, he said: "We're going to go nuts and have a year of celebrations. We're going to revisit the old show with a retrospective special.

"'The Naked Chef' was cool. I wouldn't say I'm cool any more, I like to think I'm maturing appropriately. I still feel like a kid at heart."

But Jamie - who has five children; Poppy,15, Daisy, 14, Petal, eight, Buddy, six, and Rocket, 12 months, with his wife Jools - won't be stripping off for the special milestone.

He explained: "I won't be cooking naked. I did it once and it's not good for public health. My kids especially don't want to see me doing anything naked."

However, although the show ran on BBC Two, it's highly unlikely the restaurateur will screen his special with the broadcaster as he recently slammed their work ethic.

He told the Mirror Online: "I was born in the Beeb and part of me would like to go back there. I looked at it but they are ridiculous to work for. The budget for the programme and the presenters' fees... I am happy to take a cut on everything. But the confusion and entanglement and what you can do. No way. Channel 4 is way better to work for."

His latest series of 'Jamie's Quick & Easy Food' returns to Channel 4 next week and he has admitted he can't believe the format has only just come to him.

He explained: "Everyone is nuts about speed in cooking and I have addressed that. Then there is cost and I addressed that. With this show I can count the ingredients on one hand and you only have to buy a few things on the way home from work in busy Britain today. That is kind of relevant."


Tagged in