Britain's cooking shows fatigued as influencers rise

Britain’s traditional cooking shows are fading from prime-time TV as audiences shift to short-form online content, industry observers say. Data and interviews point to a broader fatigue with long-running formats, even as beloved competitions like the Great British Bake Off and more laid‑back programmes such as Saturday Kitchen continue to draw viewers. In the past year, there has been a 44% drop in new commissions across all food show formats, according to industry analyses, underscoring a transition from studio kitchens to social feeds and on-demand clips.

The shift has helped elevate a new generation of food creators who publish bite-sized recipes on platforms like TikTok and YouTube. Poppy O’Toole, known as Poppy Cooks, rose to viral prominence during the pandemic with a focus on recipes centered on potatoes and now commands millions of followers on TikTok. Online food channels such as Mob Kitchen have built loyal audiences—about 1.5 million followers on the app—along with smaller but influential communities around Sorted Food, Alexandra Dudley, and Ks_Ate_Here. YouTube remains the largest hub for cooking content across platforms, and the rise of these creators has shifted consumer expectations toward quick, easy-to-follow, visually polished tutorials.

Industry observers say the decline in traditional formats reflects a broader shift in how people learn to cook and what they want from television. Dylan Davey, brand strategist and founder of The Social Inc, told the Daily Mail that cooking shows became a form of reality TV—competitive, polished and sometimes relentlessly long—and viewers eventually grew fatigued by the abundance of choices. He noted that the online world has evolved into content that audiences find trustworthy and shareable, with social platforms enabling rapid content iteration and trend-driven ideas. Over the past decade, influencers have slowly captured market share from established TV chefs, though TV has not vanished completely. TV producers are now more cautious, emphasizing talent, timing and format that can perform across multiple platforms.

TV still has a role, though, when it comes to combining food with entertainment and human stories. Joe Wicks is cited as an early example of converting short-format recipe content into mainstream influence, while others—like Melissa Thompson, Gurd Loyal, Alexandra Dudley and Camille Kenny-Ryder—are praised for pairing high-quality visuals with knowledgeable cooking content. KS_Ate Here’s Kar-Shin Tong is highlighted for high-energy, restaurant-focused content that resonates across audiences. Industry voices emphasize that the most effective shows now integrate cooking with interviews, storytelling and other entertainment elements, rather than presenting cooking as a stand-alone spectacle. As one restaurateur, David Moore of Pied à Terre in Fitzrovia, put it, audiences increasingly prefer short, follow-along tutorials for specific recipes over sitting through a half-hour cookery class on television.

Still, the appetite for big, event-driven moments endures. The enduring popularity of Bake Off, MasterChef and various international adaptations demonstrates that audiences still crave competitive drama as part of a broader package. Saturday Kitchen and Sunday Brunch, for example, are cited as successful formats that blend food with conversation and lifestyle elements. Dragging those moments back into the limelight requires curating the right talent and the right concept—one that fits into a bigger narrative beyond a straightforward recipe.

Looking ahead, analysts predict a more niche, seasonal and event-driven landscape for cooking shows. The era of long-running, everyday formats appears to be waning, but television can still create cultural moments if it taps into timely themes, holiday specials, or one-off events with compelling talent. The bar for quality—storytelling, expertise, and presentation—has risen, and many producers acknowledge that the broadcast market will have to work harder to justify a traditional cookery hour.

For consumers, the change means a broader ecosystem of culinary content: quick tutorials on social media for day-to-day meals, longer-form storytelling on streaming platforms, and hybrid formats that pair cooking with interviews, travel, or brand storytelling. In speaking with industry professionals, the consensus is that traditional food television remains relevant when it adapts to the digital era—delivering warmth, expertise and authenticity in a way that is easily shareable and social-media friendly. Ultimately, the shift reflects how audiences have evolved: they want quality, pace, and access to recipes that fit into a busy, digitally connected life.