Marcus Wareing has revealed Gordon Ramsay's reaction after he quit their planned BBC Two series before filming began. The MasterChef: The Professionals judge told The Times that going ahead with the project 'didn't feel right'.
Earlier this year, the two chefs were reported to have ended their 16-year feud, which began in 2008 over a business dispute. They were set to work together on a new series for BBC Two, with both expressing excitement about reuniting in the kitchen. However, just a couple of months later, it emerged that Wareing, 56, had pulled out, informing bosses he no longer wanted to take part. At the time, an insider stressed he had not fallen out with Ramsay, 59.
Wareing's doubts about the show
When first asked about what happened, Wareing told The Times: 'I'm going to go "no comment" on that one.' He then opened up about his feelings, saying: 'Maybe it just didn't feel right for me. Am I the right candidate to present this show? I felt, personally, when I looked in the mirror that I wasn't.'
He explained the difficulty of telling Ramsay about his decision: 'It was hard to send a message to Gordon and say, "Look, I just don't feel comfortable." And he was brilliant. He was like, "Marcus, seriously, mate, do not worry." His reaction was priceless for me.'
Ramsay's supportive response
Wareing reflected on the history between them: 'It reminded me of the olden days when you'd reach out and think, "Am I going to really f***ing p*** Gordon off again?" I really didn't want to go down that road again and I felt really s***. But I didn't feel I could do it justice and I think, in our older age now, it's good to be honest.'
When the collaboration was first confirmed, Wareing told 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.'
