Channel 4 Commissions Boomerang Plus To Produce The Secret Supper Club

Channel 4 has commissioned Cardiff-based indie Boomerang Plus to produce a new daytime 'pop up dining' show, fronted by TV presenter and wine expert Olly Smith (Saturday Kitchen, Iron Chef UK),
The Secret Supper Club is a brand new format which follows Olly Smith around the country as he stages a series of one-off dining events in stunning locations. The series has been commissioned by Sagina Shabaya, Deputy Commissioning Editor, off-peak, and is set to air in February 2011, in a Saturday teatime slot.
In each episode, Olly is joined by two challenge-hungry local food producers who will help him plan, prepare and serve a secret supper for ten mystery guests in just two days.
The series is the first commission in the food and drink genre for Boomerang, which is best known for Channel 4's extreme sports strand Freesports on 4. More recent commissions for the channel include the Cutting Edge documentary Too Poor for Posh School and the Paralympics magazine programme, That Paralympics Show.
Boomerang is also a partner with Channel 4 in the Freeze Festival, the UK's biggest winter sports and music festival.
Gareth Rees, Executive Director at Boomerang, said of the new series: "It's great fun working on such an interesting format with the talent and energy of Olly Smith. This commission further strengthens our ties with Channel 4 and our continued expansion as a company."
Sagina Shabaya added: "The Secret Supper Club is an entertaining new format that takes cookery programming out of the kitchen and celebrates the best of British food. It's the perfect show for Olly to host and we're delighted that he's set to be back on the channel next year."
In each episode of The Secret Supper Club, Olly travels the country to stage an adventurous supper in a surprising setting. From a dramatic candlelit dinner in a ruined castle, to freshly baked organic bread in a traditional windmill, or a spit roast in beautiful ancient woodland, each location is bold and atmospheric, inspiring a theme for the meal.
Along the way, Olly meets with local chefs and food producers at an 'edible audition', where they bring along their favourite foods of the region, and chooses wine or other drinks to bring the best out of each course.
As guests, Olly wants to bring together all kinds of people who represent the best of the area. In a spirit of spontaneity and surprise they are all invited at the last minute and haven't a clue what's in store, or where the dinner will be served.
Olly hopes to win them over with an unforgettable communal celebration of local food and the place they live. And the mark of his success comes after supper when he will look for a guest to accept a challenging, but rewarding task - hosting a Secret Supper of their own.
Locations include Weobly Castle in the Gower Peninsula, Puzzlewood in the Forest of Dean, Mt Pleasant windmill in Lincolnshire, Malham Tarn boatshed in North Yorkshire and the Barley Wood Walled Garden near Bath.
The show is executive produced by Matt Cole and Gareth Rees.
(KMcA)