SATURDAY Kitchen star Matt Tebbutt has bravely opened up on his heartbreak after seven of his beloved colleagues passed away.
The famous chef has been the predominant presenter on the programme since 2016, after James Martin stepped down.
Each week, the BBC programme welcomes famous cooks, drink experts, and celebrity guests to showcase the most innovative recipes.
Previous stars to appear include the likes of Gary Barlow, James Blunt, Stacey Dooley, former Bake Off host Sue Perkins and Strictly’s Anton Du Beke & Oti Mabuse.
Unfortunately, this has not come without heartbreak, as several show regulars have passed away over the years.
Now, Matt, 50, has opened up about the devastating impact this has had on him, as he’s been forced to pay tribute to his BBC friends and colleagues.
In a candid interview, he told The Mirror: “Sadly, in the eight years I’ve been doing we’ve lost about seven people.
“I’ve done seven different obituaries for various chefs, and that’s a hard one.
“You can practice and practice, and then you do it, and then during the live [show], something happens.”
He added: “And you feel your voice gets shallow and shallower, and so it’s a hard one to do. So that’s always been tough. I always get on edge.
Back in March, his longtime colleague Dave Myers from The Hairy Bikers sadly passed away after a devastating battle with cancer.
He introduced an instalment with a special memorial monologue as he paid tribute to his talented pal.
Speaking to viewers at the time, he remarked: “As I’m sure you know, this has been a very sad week as we lost someone very close to the show.
“Dave Myers who was one half of the Hairy Bikers, along with Si King. They’ve been on the show countless times over the last 18 years and even hosted it a few times.”
He added: “We were privileged to have Dave back in the studio last October, after he was recovering from another round of treatment.
“He then bravely got back on his bike and continued with his TV life with Si. But, sadly, cancer took him from us far too soon.”
It’s a hard one to do. So that’s always been tough, I always get on edge.
Matt Tebbutt
Adding: “We hope to stage a full tribute show for Dave in due course but here is a little montage to remind you why we loved him so much.”
However, Matt also praised the show as he opened up on the inner workings of the fan-favourite cookery production.
But the TV personality has to be careful, as he admitted that he sometimes forgets his surroundings because he feels so at home.
“You get so relaxed you forget you’re on live TV,” he admitted.
“A BBC commissioner once said ‘remember who you’re talking to. You wouldn’t go around to that little old lady’s house and say a swear word, so you don’t do it on TV.'”.
Dave Myers and Si King, collectively known as the Hairy Bikers, were a popular presenting and cooking duo for 20 years. Sadly, Dave lost his battle with cancer in February 2024. Let's take a look back at the pair's TV journey.
