The new series of Saturday Kitchen kicked off on Saturday 24 June at 10am on BBC One with presenter James Martin bringing a fresh style to this classic show. Two years on the programme continues its domination of Saturday morning television regularly bringing in audiences of over 2 million. The omelette challenge within the show has become a cult hit, and the show attracts the world's top chefs. The Saturday Kitchen Cook Book was published in July 2007, and the second book is due out in April 2008. The show is commissioned until March 2009.
As part of the ITV3 Crime Thriller Season, in August and September 2008, Cactus TV were specially commissioned to make six documentaries profiling the best crime writers working today. The six authors were Colin Dexter, Ian Rankin, PD James, Lynda La Plante, Val McDermid and Ruth Rendell. The documentaries introduced the viewers to the personalities behind the shows, their writing methods, and the fabulous lifestyles their success has bought them. They also uncovered the secrets of what it takes to be a truly great crime writer and how they create their successful mysteries. The profiles were interspersed with interviews from other well-known crime writers focusing on their views of the authors’ works, and famous actors and actresses such as Robson Green, Amanda Redman, David Hayman, Julian Fellowes and George Baker, who have appeared in the authors’ TV adaptations, gave their opinions on what makes the shows so popular.
If you think family food is bland and boring and always head to restaurants for your foodie kicks then you and your family are, quite literally, missing a treat. Staying in is the new going out, and over the new series, chef Rachel Allen will be proving why. She’ll be tempting us with a host of mouth-wateringly delicious home-cooked recipes that the whole family will adore, from snacks and starters to roasts and puds, there is something scrumptious here for everyone.
As well as sharing her latest delectable recipes from her home in east Cork, Rachel will be running her own cookery school where viewers can learn to cook along with 7 lucky families who will be getting the very best tips and secrets from Rachel herself.
Rachel will also be out and about visiting the homes of the most exciting, innovative and creative chefs across the UK to find out what they cook for their own families, including Galton Blackiston (Morston Hall), Jason Atherton (Maze), Atul Kochhar (Benares) and Gennaro Contaldo (Jamie’s Italian).
Rachel Allen: Home Cooking will air on RTE from 17th September and Good Food from 21st September 2009
This brand new food series began on BBC2 in August 2009, following the Hairy Bikers visiting counties across the British Isles on their motorbikes in search of the tastiest regional food specialities. Dave Myers & Si King visit a different county in each of the 30 episodes, meeting food producers and cooking traditional local dishes. The Bikers are then pushed outside of their comfort zone as they face a cook-off against one of the county’s very best chefs to create a unique dish using local produce that typifies the county. Not used to cooking in the kitchens of fine-dining restaurants, some with Michelin stars, the Bikers need all the help they can get as diners in the restaurant decide who has created the winning dish - the best taste of that county.
A lively combination of high profile celebrity interviews and pioneering pop culture strands. The couple’s resonance with big names guests continues; so far, guests welcomed onto the show have included Hollywood legend Samuel L Jackson, Oscar winner Helen Mirren, big screen star Josh Hartnett and comedy icon David Walliams. Shows from Tuesday through to Friday feature entirely exclusive content and appearances from comedians Rufus Hound and Robin Ince, whilst the Monday programme provides a highlights summary of the previous week’s episodes. The hugely successful Book Clubs make a welcome return starting with Richard & Judy’s Christmas Book Selection from November the 19th and a brand new strand, the Daily Mail New Writer’s Club, runs every month where Richard & Judy, along with two celebrity guests review work by a brand new author.
Live every weekday on Channel 4 for 7 years, Richard & Judy was frequently amongst the highest rated shows on Channel 4. The programme was a mix of chat, current affairs and entertainment. R & J attracted high profile and exclusive guests- Tom Hanks, Hugh Grant, Robert De Niro, Susan Saranden, Goldie Hawn, Leonardo Di Caprio, Samuel L. Jackson and George Clooney, to name a few, all graced our sofas. The programme also established a strong reputation for breaking news, with many high profile stories featured first.
Over 3 weeks in October 2008, with a glamorous new look, Rachel brought baking into the 21st Century for UKTV Food. Each episode was a half hour tour through the decadent world of modern baking. Rachel featured a delicious range of sumptuous and mouth-watering baked treats and led a master class at her baking school- teaching five cake-loving students the essential skills of baking. Rachel also visited uber successful, creative and inspirational modern bakers, such as Eric Lanlard and Mich Turner who have baked cakes for celebrities including Madonna and David Beckham. Rachel looked into the ovens at avant-garde baking establishments across the U.K. which are pushing baking boundaries and uncovered the secrets behind their sumptuous creations. This series is now showing on RTE @ 7.30pm every Wednesday.
On October 6th 2008 ITV3 screened the inaugural Crime Thriller Awards. The glamorous star studded awards ceremony celebrated the crème de la crème of British and International crime and thriller fiction from film, TV and books. The awards were presented by Alan Davies and celebrity nominees and high-profile presenters that attended included Dame Helen Mirren, Ricky Gervais, Pam Ferris and Robson Green. Inspector Morse creator Colin Dexter won the public vote to be honoured with the ITV3 Writer’s Award for Classic TV Drama. The Crime Thriller Awards were the culmination of a seven week Crime Thriller Awards Season on ITV3.
The Galaxy British Book Awards are the literary world’s answer to the Oscars where the glitterati and the literati mix. Cactus TV have produced this large scale TV event for the past five years for Channel 4. The gala ceremony at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel is hosted by Richard & Judy and each year marks the culmination of their phenomenal Book Club 2008 strand where one of their hugely popular titles scoops the hotly contested Best Read award. As ever, this year’s event in April was packed with celebrities and the nation’s most popular authors. Barry Humphries, Richard Hammond, Katie Price, Russell Brand and J.K. Rowling were amongst the many high profile presenters, nominees and award winners.
The enduring interest of Princess Diana in all things spiritual was the subject of a 2003 American documentary. Part of this programme, consisted, controversially, of séances conducted in an attempt to reach the sprit of the late princess. The Spirit Of Diana: The Debate invited a group of people, who either knew Diana or took part in the documentary, to watch and discuss the issues arising from the programme.
Over four years, Cactus developed the format for this awards extravaganza and created “one of the showbiz events of the year”. In 2001, the British Soap Awards was the highest rated entertainment show on any TV channel, with a massive 53% share. Also screened over 2 hours in its ‘Uncut’ form. Cactus produced and ran the Event, as well as the show, the Awards party is now legend.
Songs Of Bond was introduced by Russell Watson, backed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. The programme invited artists, old and new, to come and perform their favourite 007 theme tune either as a solo or as a duet with Russell. Enhanced by film clips from the original 007 movies, contributors included Lulu, Atomic Kitten, Marti Pellow and Diana Krall.
In partnership with sister company Papillon, Cactus produced this musical spectacular with Sir Cliff picking his favourite hits from tracks originally performed by other artists.
The looky-likey karaoke show was a favourite with Jarvis Cocker and regularly got 4 stars in Heat magazine as well as top ten placings in the satellite listings.
Scott Mills asks a celebrity to put together a compilation tape for a hero or a close friend. Guests included : Adam Buxton, Grant Nichols, Neil Hannon & Emma B.
10 regular punters from the London region cast an eye over the TV schedules in this late night review programme.
This daily gameshow, presented by Alastair Stewart, combined a mix of general knowledge and strategy. The format has been licensed to ABC in America.
90 second stylish interstitial films about Movies, that have been much copied. Channel 4 (3 series)
In 1999, Cactus took over production of this celebrity auction and raised over £325,000 for charity, almost five times the previous year’s amount. Presented by Ulrika Jonsson and Jeffrey Archer with guests such as Jean Claude Van Damme, David Ginola and Boyzone ‘up-for-grabs’.
Daily panel gameshow hosted by Paul Ross.
Hosted by Rory McGrath, this quiz saw 63 sporting masterminds compete for the prized Golden Anorak.
The Last Resort was commissioned to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Channel Four. As ever, hosted by Jonathan Ross with guests including Tim Roth, Helen Mirren and Quentin Tarantino.
Mad for it captured the thoughts and concerns of 10 young representatives from the Anglia region. This weekly current affairs discussion programme was nominated for three RTS awards.
The gameshow where 6 contestants always try to remain ‘on-the-up’.
An arts programme that looked at the huge diversity of talent and imagination coming out of Anglia region’s young artists.
This gameshow threw four contestants ‘In Tuition’ to experience a new skill together, then back in the studio, asked these strangers to guess interesting facts about each other using only their ‘Intuition’!!
The format for this mesmerizing word game proved very popular, enjoying repeated commissions both here and abroad.