Matt Tebbutt has revealed two changes to the Saturday Kitchen schedule during the latest episode of the BBC programme, which has been put out to tender by the broadcaster.
On November 7, the 52-year-old presenter was joined in the studio by chefs Vivek Singh, Tom Parker Bowles and Riya Patel, alongside special guest Jo Brand. Drinks expert Helen McGinn also appeared to select wines to accompany the dishes.
New Time and Best Bites Replacement
As the credits rolled, Tebbutt told viewers: "There's no Best Bites tomorrow but I'm going to be back here live next Saturday at the earlier time of 9.15."
Saturday Kitchen normally airs from 10am until 11.30am on BBC1, with Saturday Kitchen Best Bites broadcast on Sundays at 10am on BBC2. Instead, on Sunday, November 8, the broadcaster is showing Swallows and Amazons (2016) from 10am until 11.30am.
Best Bites is a curated collection of favourite recipes, celebrity guests, and cooking highlights drawn from the archives of the main show. Episodes typically revisit popular recurring elements such as the Food Heaven or Food Hell celebrity challenge and outside chef trips.
BBC Puts Saturday Kitchen Out to Tender
The schedule update follows news that Saturday Kitchen has become the latest BBC show to be put out to tender. The BBC explained: "The contract will be awarded for 18 months on a work-for-hire basis, with an indicative shape of up to 65 episodes of Saturday Kitchen, 50 episodes of Saturday Kitchen Best Bites, and up to five episodes of Celebration Kitchen."
The contract period may be extended on similar contract terms, subject to agreement. Transmission will begin in summer 2027. In line with the BBC's Across the UK strategy and commitment to grow the creative sector in the West Midlands, the corporation said it is particularly interested in proposals for production from the West Midlands.
Other BBC Shows in Tender
This autumn, the BBC also announced it is putting Mastermind out to tender for the second time in a decade. It was previously put out to tender in 2018, which was won by Hat Trick Productions and Hindsight Productions.
The BBC said: "We're putting the production of our long-running quiz Mastermind out for competition. The full invitation to tender including eligibility criteria will be published [on our website], with enough time for suppliers to do appropriate research and preparation."
Earlier this year, alongside Blankety Blank and Live At The Apollo, the BBC announced it was axing Celebrity Mastermind, though the main series with Clive Myrie will continue. At the time, the BBC said: "We are incredibly proud of all three of these much-loved shows and would like to thank everyone involved, both in front of and behind the camera, for bringing them to screen and making them such a success over many years."
"Unfortunately, we have to make some really tough choices in light of our funding challenges, and these savings have been identified from the Entertainment genre. We will still continue to commission ambitious Entertainment shows and invest in distinctive UK content from a wide range of independent production companies of all sizes, as well as prioritising digital innovation that can serve fans of these shows and beyond."
These decisions form part of the BBC's previously announced first phase of proposals to make £500m of savings over the next three years. BBC Content has a target of delivering a minimum of £100 million of recurring annual savings, which will result in a reduction of around 100-150 hours of originated TV programmes across genres by the end of 2027/28.
Saturday Kitchen returns on November 15 at 9.15am.
