© Bang ShowbizGordon Ramsay
Gordon Ramsay "needed room to breathe" on his new game show.
The 54-year-old chef and television personality is to front a new gameshow, 'Bank Balance', for the BBC and he admits it was important to be himself rather than a "phenomenal game show host".
He said: "I didn't go up there all cocksure about becoming a phenomenal game show host, I wanted to be me. And I think, on the back of that level of support from the BBC, and not [putting me] in a straitjacket, I needed room to breathe. And so there's something pretty dynamic about being given a show at 9pm."
And Gordon insists he was "driven" for the contestants on the show to do well.
He told BBC News: "These are real people who are experiencing some awkward, difficult, traumatic times. And £100,000 is quite life-changing money. There's nothing wrong with telling them, 'I want you to do well ... but I'll be really [annoyed] if you don't win.' It's a tough show to launch, and there are so many moving parts, so you've got to be this multi-faceted, caring, firm but fair, and driven to get the contestants some money. And if they don't do well, I feel bad, I take it personally."
Whilst Kate Phillips, acting controller of BBC One, added: "He was very much at home in a game show studio, I have to say. He embraced the whole process with gusto."
And Gordon admits it has been tough for restaurants - including his own - during lockdown.
He shared: "So I'm not going to lie, it's been tough. But how do we come back and open these restaurants, fingers crossed, in March? We've gone back to [being] creative, so every restaurant in the group will be re-opening with new additions to the menu."