Hell’s Kitchen Gets Danish Treatment

COPENHAGEN: Sweden-based production company Silverback has been commissioned by TV2 in Denmark to executive produce a local version of the ITV Studios format Hell’s Kitchen.

Wassim Hallal joins as host of the new Hell’s Kitchen Denmark. Hallal will pit ten amateur cooks against each other, putting them through rigorous culinary challenges and testing them to see who can handle the pressure. One hopeful will be eliminated in each installment.

The Hell’s Kitchen format is produced by ITV Studios (UK) for ITV1 in the U.K. starring Marco Pierre-White and by ITV Studios (USA) for FOX in the U.S. starring Gordon Ramsay. The format is watched in more than 240 territories around the world.

Anette Römer, the head of acquisitions and formats at TV2, said, “Hell’s Kitchen is an unrivalled success in the field of combining cooking and competition, and we’re delighted to be presenting the Danish Hell’s Kitchen in our winter schedule. I’m confident that Danish chef Wassim Hallal will make sizzling entertainment across the cold months ahead.”

Anna Carrfors Brakenhielm, the managing director of Silverback, commented, “Hell’s Kitchen is a dream format for a local producer, the show has been developed and proven through more than 100 episodes in the U.K. and America, which means we’re able to produce the best possible series, with a local twist of course. I’m very happy to be working together with TV2 and our local production partner BLU on this project in Denmark.”

Remy Blumenfeld, the director of formats at ITV Studios, added, “Hell’s Kitchen with Gordon Ramsay on FOX is one of the highest-rated competitive reality shows on U.S. television, and with more seasons of the U.S.A. version starring Gordon Ramsay to premiere in 2010, there has never been a more exciting time to be launching local recreations of this extremely entertaining and compelling show.”