Saturday Kitchen returned to One this weekend with Matt Tebbutt in charge of a special tied to the newly released second season of Rivals. The show mixed food, cocktails and a few sharp one-liners, while one familiar face was missing from the studio.
Tebbutt told viewers that Helen McGinn had stayed at home after what he called a binge-watch party with her neighbours in Hampshire the night before, adding that she was too much of a fan to be in the studio for the episode. He then asked the Rivals cast to say hello to her on air.
The guest list included Gary Lamont, Lisa McGrillis and Emily Atack, who appeared to promote the Disney+ series and joined in the teasing. Lamont told McGinn, “Wish you were here,” while McGrillis asked, “Are you hungover, Helen?” Tebbutt followed with, “Probably is. Helen, drop us a text, let us know what you are up to.”
The episode leaned into the drama’s 80s setting with culinary dishes from Will Murray, Jake Croft and Kate Jenkins inspired by classic decade fare. Ollie Smith added cocktails in tribute to the series, keeping the focus on the show’s retro style as much as its cast. Tebbutt called it “absolutely brilliant” and joked of the guests, “And I have to say, none of you looks anything like you do.”
McGinn is a regular wine expert and presenter on Saturday Kitchen, so her absence was part of the story as much as the crossover itself. The exchange gave the return of the long-running cooking show a lighter edge, while also underlining how far Rivals has cut through enough to become weekend television material beyond the streaming release. Saturday Kitchen airs on One on Saturdays at 10am, with this weekend’s special showing how the programme likes to turn a TV launch into a live, playful event.
