bbq

Well of course Myleene Klass is the host of BBQ Champ (ITV, 9pm, 7 August). She is the obvious choice. But it’s also good to see the man who singlehandedly launched the UK’s dirty food revolution back on our screens.

Yes, Man v Food superstar Adam Richman is the reason you can’t move for pulled pork any more, in restaurants or in supermarket ready meals, and I mean that in a good way. But even though ITV pulled off a coup by signing him, and as much as I wanted to love the show as much as I love BBQs, it didn’t quite work out.

The concept, Great British Bake Off with BBQing instead of baking, is a winner. And there was lots of BBQ food porn on show throughout to get the arteries caramelising. So far, so delicious. But BBQ Champ feels more thrown together than Bake Off. And although the huge open air sets are needed to house several BBQs, they lacked the claustrophobia required to add tension to proceedings. Plus, despite the presence of Klass, the show felt light on authority.

The judges are always the real stars of talent shows, but Richman’s co-judge, chef Mark Blatchford, is an unknown. And while Richman is enjoyable to watch when he’s enthusing about cheeseburgers or suicidal hot wings, he’s less entertaining when he’s attempting to be serious. What the king of the meat sweats is doing judging BBQ in a suit and tie is anyone’s guess.

A shame, then. The show was by no means a washout. But perhaps it was inevitable that, just like a typical British BBQ, what started out as a brilliant idea ended up a damp squib.