"If there is one tried and true formula when it comes to television, it is this: when you run out of ideas, bring the kids in. This formula is why everything from MasterChef to The Great British Bake Off to Taskmaster has, at some point, bitten the bullet and introduced a junior version. And now it's time for Come Dine With Me to join the gang. Which is probably a bit late, all said."
"The thing that has always set Come Dine With Me apart from its army of imitators is Dave Lamb, who doesn't so much narrate episodes as audibly roll his eyes at them. In its purest form, Come Dine With Me is raw footage of people doing their best to cook a nice meal while Dave Lamb calls them all idiots. And while that might be funny when your cook is a self-consciously wacky man from Tonbridge, it's less funny when it's an innocent teenager."
Television formats often revive interest by creating junior versions of established shows. Come Dine With Me debuts a teens edition with contestants aged 16 to 19, all younger than the original show's twenty-year run. The series title explicitly signals the younger demographic and underscores how long the main show has existed. Dave Lamb's trademark sarcastic narration remains present but is noticeably toned down for the younger contestants. The initial run consists of five episodes, with a longer series planned in the near future. The casting and presentation aim to balance comedic commentary with sensitivity to youth participants.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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