BULLDOGS AWARDS 2008
REALITY EVENT
Hells Kitchen

Winner

Hell’s Kitchen

September, ITV1, ITV Productions

Michelin starred restaurateur Marco Pierre White took over the reins of this series of Hell’s Kitchen and brought it back to its Gordon Ramsay-era levels of curmudgeonly-chef entertainment after a previous, more gentle, season with Gary Rhodes and Jean-Christophe Novelli at the helm. Former boxer Barry McGuigan became the eventual king of the kitchen with Emmerdale actress Adele Silver the runner up and comedian Jim Davidson asked to leave after certain ‘shirtlifter’ comments were made to Big Brother contestant Brian Dowling. The show’s finale picked up respectable ratings of 5.6 million (24.8% of the audience). As ever, the show was presented by comedian Angus Deayton and a fourth season is already in the offing with Marco Pierre White in the kitchen once again. The show was commissioned by ITV’s controller of alternative programmes Layla Smith. The executive producers were Richard Cowles and Katie Rawcliffe.

RUNNERS UP
I'm a Celebrity get me out of here!

2nd

I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!

November, ITV1, (ITV Productions)

Now in its seventh series, I’m A Celebrity sees no sign of any fall in popularity with the show becoming almost a pre-Christmas tradition. This time it was panto botherer Christopher Biggins who won the viewer’s vote with most of the headlines going to the burgeoning romance between singer Cerys Matthews and actor Marc Bannerman. The exec producers were Richard Cowles, Beth Hart, Chris Lore and Natalka Znak, the series editor was Becca Walker and the series producer was Marty Benson.

Mobile Act Unsigned

3rd

mobileAct Unsigned

September, Channel 4, (Princess)

Channel 4’s multiplatform commission from Princess Productions saw unsigned credible bands who write and perform their own material battle it out in front of a judging panel consisting of Alex James, Jo Whiley and Simon Gavin plus a few special guests. The chosen few then had to join the mobileAct unsigned music festival and tour and perform across the UK to raise a real fanbase. It was commissioned by Neil McCallum, the executive producers were Sebastian Scott and Henrietta Conrad.