Marcus Wareing has reportedly quit Gordon Ramsay's upcoming BBC Two cooking show, halting production before filming was scheduled to begin in September. The 56-year-old chef told executives he no longer wants to take part in the programme, according to reports.
Show halted after sudden exit
A source told The Sun: 'Sadly, the format has already fallen apart. Last week, Marcus told the producers he didn’t want to do it anymore, leading to the show being halted.'
'It’s a shame as there was so much excitement about the reunion. It all feels pretty final, but the BBC could try to rescue it in another way. They liked the concept and the talent involved.'
The reason for Wareing's exit is unclear, but an insider claimed he did not fall out with Ramsay.
Reunion plans after years of feuding
The 59-year-old Kitchen Nightmares star and Wareing had spent years clashing over a bitter business dispute in 2008 concerning the lease of the two-Michelin-starred restaurant Pétrus at The Berkeley hotel. After burying the hatchet, the pair were planning to collaborate on the new cooking programme.
Marcus had appeared excited for the show, which will explore 'extraordinary human stories', previously telling The Sun: 'This is a fantastic opportunity to work alongside Gordon again. It’s been many years since we last shared a kitchen, and I can’t wait to get started.'
'I’m really looking forward to unwrapping the memories from our cooks and taking them on a journey down memory lane.'
Timeline of the feud
Wareing joined Ramsay as his chief lieutenant at the launch of Ramsay’s Aubergine restaurant in London in 1993, later becoming head chef at Pétrus. In 2008, the lease on Pétrus came up for renewal, and Maybourne Hotel Group opted to offer it directly to Wareing rather than Ramsay’s holding company. Ramsay’s company hired lawyers to fight the move, but Wareing eventually secured the lease.
Wareing gave a tell-all interview making aggressive remarks about Gordon, later admitting he picked the fight to step out of Gordon’s shadow. The pair scarcely spoke apart from a chance encounter at 10 Downing Street during the 2012 London Olympics. In 2023, Wareing claimed their rift was 'water under the bridge' and praised Ramsay for his foundational role in his career. In 2026, they officially buried the hatchet and announced the collaborative BBC Two project.
In 2011, Wareing revealed during an interview with Weekend Magazine: 'Gordon verbally kicked the s*** out of you. Then he would buy you a beer. He put me through mental torture. I’d be first in in the morning, and I’d lock up at night. All day, there’d be Gordon being Gordon. It’s a wonder we all survived.'
Since then, Wareing has been a judge on MasterChef: The Professionals since 2014, making this his 12th year on the show. Metro has contacted the BBC, Gordon Ramsay, and Marcus Wareing for comment.
