Come Dine with Me is a British reality series that has aired on Channel 4 since 10 January 2005 and is narrated by Dave Lamb.

Come Dine with Me
GenreReality
Narrated byDave Lamb
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
Production
Running time30–60 minutes
Production companiesGranada Productions (2005–2009)
ITV Studios Entertainment (2009–2020)
Multistory Media (2020–present)
Original release
NetworkChannel 4
Release10 January 2005 (2005-01-10) –
present
Related
Come Date with Me

Format

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The original format features five amateur chefs who live in the same town or area, who each host a three-course dinner party for the other contestants at their own home over successive episodes. Each competitor then rates the host's food and hosting skills during the taxi journey home, with the highest-scoring chef winning £1,000 cash at the end of the five-episode cycle. The show often features guests with clashing personalities.

Episodes produced for primetime broadcast feature four contestants over a single hour-long episode.

Dave Lamb provides a voiceover, which sometimes includes sarcastic comments on the chefs' food and interior design.

Notable moments

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A 2016 episode attracted particular attention, when contestant Peter Marsh made ungracious remarks upon losing to the winning contestant Jane. He said to her and the other contestants: "What a sad little life, Jane. Enjoy the money. I hope now you will spend it on getting some lessons in grace and decorum, because you have all the grace of a reversing dump truck without any tyres on."[1]

Another episode gained attention online, when a clip on video sharing site YouTube of contestant Kev Riley fitting a balloon whisk into his mouth went viral.[2] In an 'ask me anything' session on Reddit in 2022,[3] Kev claimed that this was the result of a "spur of the moment" decision intended to make the producer laugh. This clip has had over 100m views on various threads across social media. This has resulted in the sale of merchandise, flags appearing at Glastonbury, and Riley being a regular contributor on Cameo.

From 2020, due to COVID-19, all five contestants cooked and ate in the same house; this is instead of having the contestants visiting each other's houses to dine. The location of the house would vary depending on which city the five episodes were taking place. Episodes shown from 2024 reverts to contestants hosting from their own homes.

Spin-offs

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Couples Come Dine with Me

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On 7 July 2014, the first episode of the spin-off series - Couples Come Dine with Me, premiered on Channel 4.[4] The series uses a similar format to the original series but features three couples competing to win £1,000.[5]

Celebrity Come Dine with Me

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There have been occasional celebrity groups of chefs since the first episode of Series 2.[6]

Come Dine with Me: The Professionals

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On 12 January 2022, Channel 4 commissioned Come Dine with Me: The Professionals where local restaurants went head to head in the contest. The series premiered on 27 June 2022 on Channel 4.[7]

International versions

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English

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Country Title Broadcaster From & to
  Australia Come Dine with Me Australia Lifestyle Channel 2010-13[8]
  Canada Come Dine with Me Canada W 2010-14
  Ireland Come Dine with Me Ireland TV3 2011-13[9]
  New Zealand Come Dine with Me New Zealand Three 2015
  South Africa Come Dine with Me South Africa BBC Lifestyle 2011-
  United States Dinner Takes All TLC 2006
Come Dine with Me Lifetime 2013[10]

Spanish

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Country Title Broadcaster From & to
Spanish English
  Argentina Divina Comida Divine Food Telefe 2020
  Chile La Divina Comida A Divine Dinner Chilevisión 2016-Present[11]
  Mexico Divina Comida México Divine Food Mexico HBO Max 2022
  Spain Ven a Cenar Conmigo Come to dine with me. Antena 3 2008
Cuatro 2017

Other languages

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Region/ Country Title Translated title Broadcaster From & to
  Algeria (Algerian Arabic) Un dîner presque parfait El Djazair An Almost Perfect Dinner "Algeria" Samira TV 2024
  Belgium (Dutch) Komen Eten Coming to Eat VijfTV/ VIER 2009-
  Brazil Jogo de Panelas A Game of Pans TV Globo 2012-
  Bulgaria Черешката на тортата
Chereshkata na tortata
The Cherry on the Cake Nova 2011-
  Croatia Večera za 5 Dinner for 5 RTL 2007–2011; 2023–present
Večera za 5 na selu Dinner for 5 at the Countryside 2019–2023
Riba na torti Fish on cake Nova TV 2023–present
  Czech Republic Prostřeno! Expand! Prima TV 2010–present
  Denmark Til middag hos... To ...’s House for Dinner TV3 2009-2011; 2015–present
4-Stjernes Middag A 4-Star Dinner Kanal 5 2010–2012
  Estonia Õhtusöök viiele Dinner for Five TV3 2010
  Finland Arvostele mun illallinen Suomessa Rate My Dinner in Finland LIV 2011
  France Un Dîner Presque Parfait An Almost Perfect Dinner M6 2008-2014
W9 2015-present
  Germany Das Perfekte Dinner The Perfect Dinner VOX 2006
  Greece Κάτι ψήνεται
Kati Psinete
Something's cooking Alpha TV 2009-2017
ANT1 2019
Κάτι ξαναψήνεται
Kati Ksanapsinete
Something's recooking Skai TV 2021-2022
  Hungary Vacsoracsata Food Fight RTL Klub 2008
Hal a tortán Fish on Cake TV2 2008
  India Welcome – Baazi Mehmaan Nawazi Ki Welcome – Challenge to be the Best Host Life OK 2013
  Iran بفرمائید شام
Befarmayid Sham
Come for Dinner Manoto 2010[12]
  Israel בואו לאכול איתי
Bo'u Le'ekhol Iti
Come Eat with Me Channel 1 / Kan 11 2011-[13][14]
  Italy A cena da me Dinner At Mine. LA7 2016
  Kazakhstan Кім күшті? Who is stronger? Channel 31 2018
  Latvia Gandrīz Ideālas Vakariņas An Almost Ideal Dinner TV3 2011
  Lithuania Kviečiu Vakarienės An Invite for Dinner. BTV 2011
  Malaysia Jom Makan Dengan Saya Let's Eat with Me Real Time 2008
  Malta Come Dine With Me Malta Television Malta 2025
  Netherlands Smaken Verschillen Tastes Differ Net 5
  Norway 4-stjerners middag 4-Star Meal TVNorge 2009
Celebert selskap Celebrity Company TV3 2009-2010
  Poland Ugotowani Cooked TVN 2010–2018
Ugotowani w parach Cooked in Pairs 2023
  Quebec (French) Un Souper Presque Parfait An Almost Perfect Dinner Noovo 2010[15]
  Romania Mâncare pe care Food Battle Royale[a] Acasă 2022
  Russia Званый ужин
Zvanyy uzhin
Dinner Party REN TV 2006-2017
Идеальный ужин
Ideal'nyy uzhin
Perfect Dinner Che 2018
  Serbia Dođi na večeru Come to Dinner. Prva 2010
Savršena večera Perfect Dinner Nova S 2022
  Slovakia Bez servítky Without a serviette Markíza 2009-2015
JOJ 2021
  Sweden Halv åtta hos mig Half Past 7 At My Place TV4 2008
   Switzerland Swiss Dinner TeleZüri 2010
  Turkey Yemekteyiz We're at meal Show TV 2008-2011
FOX 2012-2014
Kanal D 2015
TV8 2017-
  Ukraine Звана вечеря
Zvana vecheriya
Dinner Party STB 2007-2008, 2013, 2020-
  United Arab Emirates (Arabic) يلا نتعشى Come on let's have dinner Orbit Showtime Network 2020

Adaptations

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Come Dine With Me: The Musical

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A musical adaptation of the show is scheduled to open at the Turbine Theatre in London in September 2024 following a run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in July 2024.[16]

Notes

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  1. ^ The title is a wordplay originating from "mâncare" (food) and the idiom "care pe care" (similar in meaning to "dog eat dog", suggesting fierce competition).

References

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  1. ^ Forrester, Katy (5 January 2016). "Come Dine With Me's Peter breaks his silence after being branded a 'sore loser'". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
  2. ^ "Come dine with me hilarious clip". Retrieved 23 May 2022 – via YouTube.
  3. ^ "I am the "Whisk Guy" from Come Dine With Me. AMA!". Reddit. 20 January 2021. Archived from the original on 20 January 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  4. ^ "Couples Come Dine with Me". radiotimes.com. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  5. ^ "Come Dine With Me turns up the heat with new format". the-media-leader.com. 19 December 2013. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  6. ^ Slater, Jack (2 March 2021). "Which celebrities have taken part in Come Dine with Me?". Metro. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  7. ^ "Come Dine with Me: The Professionals". radiotimes.com. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  8. ^ "Come Dine with Me in Oz" (PDF). B&T Today. 24 August 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 October 2009.
  9. ^ "TV3's 2010 Autumn Schedule". Tv3.ie. Retrieved 19 October 2010.
  10. ^ Rowley, Alison (15 November 2013). "US 'Come Dine With Me' to begin airing in December". Digital Spy. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
  11. ^ ""La Divina Comida" ya tiene fecha de estreno en CHV ¡Descúbrela acá!". Radio Agricultura. 6 July 2016. Archived from the original on 7 July 2016.
  12. ^ Sweney, Mark (4 October 2010). "Iran to get its own Come Dine With Me". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 October 2010.
  13. ^ ערוץ 1 מצטרף לגל הריאליטי: ישדר את הדוקו ריאליטי "בוא לאכול איתי" – מדור טלוויזיה – עכבר העיר. Mouse.co.il. 31 May 2012. Archived from the original on 12 October 2013. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  14. ^ שילוני, סמדר (2 August 2021). "The new season of "Come Dine with Me" is exactly what we ordered". Ynet. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
  15. ^ Therrien, Richard (20 August 2012). "André Ducharme – Appelez-le Monsieur presque parfait". Lapresse.ca. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
  16. ^ "COME DINE WITH ME: THE MUSICAL announces London run". London Box Office. 2024. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
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