Channel 5 Commissions Twofour’s New Alex Polizzi & Oliver Peyton Series

Channel 5 has commissioned Twofour to produce Alex Polizzi’s Restaurant Rescue, a brand-new series fronted by the host of The Hotel Inspector and her brother-in-law, restaurateur Oliver Peyton.

In the 4×60-minute series, Polizzi and Peyton set out to try to change the fortunes of struggling restaurant businesses. Polizzi will draw on her career in the hospitality business, while Peyton will handle the kitchens and food.

Polizzi said: “Restaurant Rescue is about championing independent restaurants, helping them get both their food and figures right. They need to excel in every area to have any chance of competing with the increasing number of chain restaurants that are taking over Britain’s high streets.”

Peyton added: “Alex and I embarked on this series with a desire to help everybody to succeed. It has turned out to be as much about lifestyle choices as it is about how much change people wish to make.”

Greg Barnett, commissioning editor for factual entertainment at Channel 5, commented: “It’s sometimes not immediately obvious why these businesses are failing, so it’s going to be quite a challenge for Alex and her brother-in-law to turn things around. Many of the proprietors have invested everything into living their dream and some are long-standing, family-run businesses, so there’s everything at stake and emotions will reach boiling point.”

Dan Adamson, Twofour’s director of programs and executive producer on Restaurant Rescue, said: “Alex has shown us how exacting you need to be to run a successful hotel; now she’s turning her critical eye to restaurants where the pressure to put good food in front of customers is huge.

“Aided by Oliver Peyton, one of the best in the business, the pair hope they can offer a helping hand to restaurateurs for whom the dream just hasn’t materialized. Alex and Oliver have known each other for 20 years and don’t always see eye-to-eye, but both of them will be doing all they can to turn around these troubled restaurants.”