One of CBeebies’ best-loved shows of the mid-2000s has returned to our TV screens after nearly two decades off air.
Big Cook, Little Cook is back.
If you’re unfamiliar with the popular children’s cooking show, the original series first aired between 2004 and 2006 was famously is set in the kitchen of a cafe owned by the two main characters – Big Cook Ben and Little Cook Small, with the former a full-sized adult, and the latter only a few inches tall and known for flying around on a wooden spoon.
And it seems like the reboot is no different in that respect, as the new series of Big Cook, Little Cook had it’s premiere on CBeebies yesterday.
This time around though, the show’s comeback – which is filmed in MediaCityUK in Salford – features an all-new female cast, with Ibinabo Jack as Big Cook Jen and Courtney Bowman Little Cook Small, replacing original show hosts Steve Marsh and Dan Wright.
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There’s said to be at least 50 episodes in the new series, which will air on weekdays.
Much like the original, the cookery duo are tasked with creating various recipes for children and their parents to try at home, and during each episode of the reboot there’ll be an informative documentary section that teaches kids where their food comes from, and is shot in fields, herb gardens, factories and farms all around the UK.
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If all of that wasn’t nostalgic enough as it is, the reboot of the show even has the same theme song from the original series too.
Speaking ahead of the airing of the first episode of the reboot yesterday, Jo Killingley – Creator and Executive Producer – said: “We made the original iconic ‘Big Cook Little Cook’ nearly 20 years ago, it was the most fun series I’ve ever worked on.
“With brand new talent in 2022, it’s continuing to be a joy.
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“We’re celebrating British ingredients and food producers, plus a whole host of World recipes [and] we’re hoping this will be a delicious treat for kids and their grown up helpers and encourage everyone to pick up a wooden spoon and create some magic in the kitchen -and maybe a little mess.”
The original Big Cook, Little Cook series first aired on CBeebies between 2004 and 2006 / Credit: BBC iPlayer
Following the first episode airing last night, the reboot seems to have already proved a hit with parents on social media, with many enjoying the “nostalgic moment” by watching the show themselves.
“My son really liked this new episode and cast, he was very engaged,” one Twitter user said.
Another review read: “I’ve watched the original Big Cook Little Cook back when I was a child, so watching the modern revamp was such a nostalgic treat. Really enjoyed the episode. Felt so similar to the original, but had a nice modern take to it.”
Big Cook, Little Cook airs on weekdays on CBeebies at 4:45pm.
Featured Image – BBC
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First look images released of new BBC drama series from Happy Valley creator filmed in Yorkshire
Emily Sergeant
A new BBC series telling the story of five women who come together to create a makeshift punk-rock band is set to air later this year.
Riot Women, the brand-new drama from the multi-BAFTA award-winning writer Sally Wainwright – best known for being the creator of Happy Valley – is a six-part series set and filmed in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire.
First look pictures of the new show have now been released.
Starring Joanna Scanlan, Rosalie Craig, Tamsin Greig, Lorraine Ashbourne, and Amelia Bullmore as band members, alongside a talented supporting cast consisting of Taj Atwal, Chandeep Uppal, and Macy-Jacob Seelochan as the band’s riotous backing singers, the newly-released pictures show the women in action.
First look images have been released of a new BBC drama series filmed in Yorkshire / Credit: BBC
According to a synopsis on the BBC website, Riot Women dives headfirst into the world of five women who come together to create a makeshift punk-rock band in order to enter a local talent contest.
But, in writing their first original song, they soon discover that they have a lot more to say than planned – and this is their way to say it.
As they juggle demanding jobs, grown-up children, complicated parents, husbands who’ve buggered off, and disastrous dates, and relationships, the band becomes a catalyst for change in their lives, and it’s going to make them question everything.
📸 Here's your first look at Riot Women – the new drama from Sally Wainwright coming to @BBCiPlayer and @BBCOne in 2025
New pictures feature Joanna Scanlan, Rosalie Craig, Tamsin Greig, Lorraine Ashbourne, Amelia Bullmore, and more
Creators and producers say the show is a testament to the power of friendship, music, and the resilience of women who “refuse to be silenced by age or expectation”.
Speaking ahead of the show airing later this year, Riot Women creator, Sally Wainwright, commented: “I’m having a whole new buzz of excitement about the show as we bring it together in the edit, and I can’t wait to share it with everyone.”
Riot Women will premiere on BBC One and iPlayer in the UK later this year.
Featured Image – BBC
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A Manchester barbershop is offering a ‘pay what you can’ service this month
Danny Jones
Amidst the tidal wave of January deals on food and drink in Manchester, a local barbers is championing their own ‘pay what you can’ offer to help people along this month.
Jefe’s Barbershop, located in the heart of Manchester’s Northern Quarter, is one of the best barbers in the city centre, offering a wide variety of cuts and facial hair grooming services – they even offer a subscription service that helps people save money on regular trims.
That being said, they are well aware of those January blues and the mounting obstacles and anxieties that come with weeks of penny-pinching to make it to month’s end, as well as the general toll it can take on people’s mental health.
So this January, Jefe and his team are doing something different – as he puts it, “something special”: the barbershop is allowing customers to simply pay what they feel comfortable handing over and, in the case of those struggling, whatever they can afford.
It’s a simple gesture with a big purpose which helps ensure no one has to miss out on a feel-good moment or the confidence that comes from a fresh trim.
“All we do is laugh and joke about life—that’s why people come here,” Jefe explains. “I don’t want anyone to lose the chance to be present, to feel good, and to laugh with us.
“Men often need more help than they’re willing to let on and we want to be a helping hand they can rely on.” Now that’s a cause all of us can and should get behind.
Community support has remained at the core of Jefe’s Barbershop since the beginning when he swapped a basketball career for providing a much-needed service to Mancunian men.
From partnering with Manc sandwich shops and offering free haircuts for the homeless, to hosting street parties with local events companies and providing £5 trims to promote men’s mental health in 2023 when the cost of living crisis really kicked in – Jefe’s is always trying to make a difference in the area.
You’ve got to love businesses that go the extra mile.
If you want to make the most of this wholesome deal or just feel like you’re in need of a trim, you can book HERE or call them directly on 0161 818 7659.
The ‘pay what you can’ offer runs Monday to Thursday, 9am-7pm, subject to availability. You’ll find Jefe’s Barbershop on Stevenson Square
Because as the man himself puts it, “Everyone deserves to feel their best”.
Emily Sergeant -
2nd March 2022 
