Ready Steady Cook: BBC show to avoid plastic and reduce food waste

Rebooted cookery show set to be one of the most sustainable food programmes

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The rebooted version of Ready Steady Cook will minimise food waste and avoid plastic where possible with the aim of being as sustainable as possible.

The programme will return in 2020 after 10 years with Rylan Clark-Neal as the host. It previously ran from 1994 until 2010, making it the longest-running British cookery show, and was presented by Fern Britton and then Ainsley Harriott.

In its previous version, Ready Steady Cook used red tomato and green pepper plastic bags, which will be replaced with reusable totes in the new version.

The programme, which will air on BBC One, has also pledged not to use any single-use plastic and instead use glass jars and bottles for storing produce.

There will also be colour-coded waste bins both backstage and on set to ensure that everything is properly recycled.

The bins will be collected by a local recycling firm for anaerobic digestion, a recycling process that sees waste broken down to produce biofertiliser and biogas, while unused ingredients will be sent to a local food bank.

All of the ingredients used by contestants on the show will also be sourced locally and sustainably.

Like its original version, the BBC show, produced by Remarkable TV, will see two contestants paired with a professional chef and go head-to-head in various times challenges, such as cooking on a budget and eating healthily. The winner will be decided by an audience vote.

Speaking about the changes to the programme, Cat Lawson, executive producer at Remarkable TV, said: "The world has changed a lot since Ready Steady Cook was on air last, and it's more important than ever to source sustainable and ethically produced food.

"As such Ready Steady Cook will be favouring local suppliers and seasonal products, avoiding single-use plastic and food waste as much as possible."

Clark-Neal added: "One of the biggest sustainability issues we face is from food and packaging waste, so Ready Steady Cook is being brought bang up to date to play its part in tackling this.

"It's going to be goodbye plastic bags and hello jute totes when we hit screens in the New Year. I can't wait to get stuck in!"