Marco Pierre White has claimed that producers offered to drop Jamie Oliver from a BBC documentary after he refused to take part. The three-part series, The Rise of the Rockstar Chef, produced by Gordon Ramsay's Studio Ramsay Global, follows the careers of Marco, Gordon and Heston Blumenthal. According to Marco, the original plan was for four programmes featuring Jamie too.
Marco's objection over Michelin stars
Speaking on Spooning with Mark Wogan, Marco, 64, said he initially turned down the project because he did not consider Jamie part of the same "three-star world" as the other chefs. Recalling what happened after he refused, he said: "And then they rang me the next day and said, 'If we drop Jamie, will you do the show, Marco?' I said 'Fine'. I mean, Jamie should be with James Martin, Matt Tebbutt, Nigella, that's their jigsaw. Build that jigsaw."
Marco said the approach had come from the chief executive of Gordon's studio, who visited him to discuss the documentary. He said: "They interview Heston and they interview Jamie Oliver and then they come to me. So they tell me it is going to be the four of us and four shows. I say no to it. And they said, 'Why?'"
"He's not part of the three-star world"
His explanation centred on Michelin stars. "It's very simple," he began. "Heston worked hard for his three stars, Gordon worked hard for his three stars and I worked hard for my three stars. How many stars has Jamie won?"
Mark defended Jamie, pointing out that he "works very hard". Marco, the first British chef to win three Michelin stars, acknowledged Jamie's success but insisted: "But he's not part of our jigsaw. He's not part of the three-star world."
When Mark suggested Jamie would not claim otherwise, Marco said: "I said 'Do the show without me, do the show without me'. For the simple reason is, he's very successful, and he's very good at what he does and he's the best at what he does and you can't take that away from him... but he's not part of that three-star party."
Long-running feud
The remarks are the latest chapter in a difficult relationship stretching back years. Marco made his "fat chef with a drum kit" jibe to The Sun in 2007, while Jamie has spoken about the disappointment of meeting a chef he once idolised.
Appearing on The Louis Theroux Podcast last year, Jamie said he did not know why Marco had never warmed to him. He said: "I have no shared history with him, working under him, so, he doesn't have a sense of control."
Jamie recalled spending what he thought was an enjoyable day with Marco, only to be stung by what followed. He said: "We went on a shoot one day, spent a day with him and it was perfectly lovely, and then a week later he just destroyed me on a double-page spread." Despite that experience, Jamie said Marco's influence on him as a young chef had not been erased. He continued: "I still think he was a game-changer. He was still my hero for that period of my life. But, that's life and it's not just Marco, it's lots of people it's happened to."
Jamie will not feature in The Rise of the Rockstar Chef, which is reportedly due to air later this year. Announcing the programme, Catherine Catton, BBC Head of Commissioning, Factual Entertainment and Events, said: "Decades ago, Marco, Gordon and Heston ripped up the rule-book of British fine dining and changed the world of restaurants forever. I'm delighted they're reuniting to bring BBC audiences the truly extraordinary story behind their fierce rivalry, uncompromising ambition and, at times, truly outrageous antics."
Gordon Ramsay was contacted about the claims before publication. Jamie Oliver was also approached and declined to comment.
