Presenters Sara Cox and Darren Harriott see some of the nation’s best-loved independent takeaways battle for supremacy in a fast-food showdown, for this brand new eight-part series, Britain's Top Takeaways.
Celebrating Britain’s booming home delivery scene, each episode follows five takeaways from the same sector, in a contest judged by families from the comfort of their dinner table or sofa.
Featuring the ultimate guilty pleasure grub from fish and chips to burgers, noodles, pizzas, Indian, fried chicken, kebabs and Mexican; there’s plenty to make your mouth water.
These award winning, highly rated and innovative takeaway chefs come from all over the UK and now they are going head-to-head in an epic pop-up takeaway kitchen HQ, in a former foundry in the heart of Manchester.
This is a food contest like no other, there’s not a celebrity chef in sight. Instead, five families sit at home doing the judging and just like any normal ‘takeaway night’, they order whatever they want from the restaurants’ menus via a food delivery app. Their chosen dishes are cooked to order and raced to the front door by a fleet of electric mopeds. It’s then down to each hungry household to eat, rate and score the food. There's no let up for the takeaway teams as the orders come in thick and fast but at the end of each hectic night, once the families’ scores are in, one restaurant per episode will be crowned Top Takeaway.
Before we fire up the deep fat fryer, let’s meet our takeaway tasting families and friends!
The Spencers
Anya, Vivian, Joshua, Elias and twins, Ella and Eden
Originally from Manchester, Vivian grew up in Bedford and has known Anya since they were four years old as their families had always been close. Anya started life in Northampton and married Vivian 15 years ago. The whole family recently returned to Manchester after living in California where Vivian worked for a digital marketing agency.
The couple now run their own information technology business together from home. It’s a busy household but living in organised chaos is where the Spencers shine. Vivian’s ‘good cop’ vs Anya’s ‘bad cop’ parenting style keeps the family working together, mostly!
When it comes to eating together, Elias and Joshua take charge with who sits where, perhaps so that they can grab their favourite seats at either end of the dining table. Elias loves to cook and claims that his chicken and rice dish is better than his Mum’s, Joshua keeps himself to himself, and twins Ella and Eden keep everyone entertained with impromptu bursts of Disney’s Frozen.
The family are big meat fans, and the kids love everything most children love with pizza being number one. They’d happily eat pizza every day, closely followed by burgers, especially the ones that come in stacks – and chicken but only on the bone. Mum and Dad are big fans of Indian food and Vivian’s guilty pleasure is a doner kebab!
Royston and Nick
Royston and Nick
You may recognise Royston and Nick from The Real Housewives of Cheshire, they have been together for 37 years and hit it off instantly becoming civil partners in 2006. They both came from humble beginnings, something they are proud of, growing up on council estates in the Midlands. Together they have built up and run their high end hairdressing business and live close to Wolverhampton.
Royston and Nick pride themselves on greeting, treating and giving everyone the same experience when they walk into one of their salons. Nick says the success they’ve had has not changed them one bit. They can be quaffing champagne with Shirley Bassey at Elton John’s house and two days later find themselves scoffing chips from a chip shop in Solihull. Fish and chips is Royston’s number one meal and takes him back to some of his happiest childhood memories walking along Blackpool beach.
When it comes to dining, they love to host dinner parties and for Nick and Royston, it’s all about the detail and final touches. Both are known for their elaborate wardrobes and always dress for the occasion, which, of course, includes a takeaway. They both love Chinese food, especially noodle based dishes and when it comes to pizza anything goes! Royston also has a small obsession with fried chicken. There’s just one thing that doesn’t go down well and that is food must be served piping hot, Royston does not tolerate cold food.
The Baileys
Keith and Linda Bailey
With two children and three grandchildren, Manchester born and bred Keith and Linda are now retired and enjoying their time as grandparents. They like to go out for long nature walks and Keith will find his way to the pub if he thinks he can get away with it. Both were independent retailers when they met and realised they had mutual friends. Linda and Keith married 15 years ago. Keith started life as casino croupier in the 70’s and admits that he is a frustrated pub quizzer. He now loves to watch football and cricket while Linda is happy with a paintbrush in her hand. Linda has also taken up swimming, something she had never learnt to do.
Linda has been vegetarian since her teens with Keith dropping his love for lamb, steak and his beloved roast chicken not long after they met. Both have very varied tastes when it comes to takeaways; Greek, Turkish, Chinese, Thai and Mexican are favourites. When it comes to shish kebabs, stir fries, noodles and rice, Linda knows what she likes and the spicier the better! She’ll also be the first to say when the food isn’t quite right.
The Williams
Damon, Kathryn, Chris and Linda
Linda and Chris have been together for 36 years, their son Damon is engaged to Kathryn, they have two children.
Originally from Wales, Linda’s family moved to London where from an early age, she worked in the family fish and chip shop. Linda met antiques dealer Chris one night when she was locked out of her car and Chris came to her rescue. The married couple recently relocated to Manchester to make the most of being close to their grandchildren, Eleanor and Eddie. Chris is known for having the gift of the gab, he has a huge passion for antiques, a business Linda helps him to run.
The couple’s son Damon met Kathryn in Spain through work, and after long distance dating, they settled down together in Greater Manchester where Damon now works for a computer software company and Kathryn is kept on her toes with the children.
Not surprisingly, Linda is a fish and chip connoisseur. If it’s on the menu, it’s the first thing she orders. Chris adores a doner kebab and he and Damon share a love for Indian food having made a trip to India, though this love does not extend to anything too spicy. Damon and Kathryn’s favourite is a Friday night pizza but they have very different views on what is an acceptable topping.
Liam and Leah
Liam and Leah
Cabin crew attendant Leah and electrical estimator Liam first bonded over food and especially a great takeaway. During lockdown Leah found herself furloughed and kept busy baking sweet treats for family and friends. They talked about takeaways so much, together they began to review local take-outs, posting reviews on social media, something they still love to do.
They both love to travel with visits to Thailand, Dominican Republic, Amsterdam and Barcelona - adding to their love of trying new cuisines. Leah decided at a very early age that she didn’t want to eat meat and knows nothing other than being pescatarian, recently convincing a reluctant Liam to try fish which has become one of his favourites, with fish and chips high on their takeaway menu of choice and something they can eat together. The couple would also eat pizza every day if they could.
Liam is a huge football fan and self-confessed carnivore. Leah loves anything Mexican, enchiladas, nachos, fajitas, tacos... while one of Liam’s favourite things is to order as much as he can from an Indian takeaway menu to create his own big Indian-inspired mash up.
Britain's Top Takeaways, coming to BBC Two soon.
Pictures: BBC/Ricochet/Cody Burridge
