I’ve had my fill of food programmes on TV

Celebrity chefs by the dozen have appeared on our screens for decades since the days of Fanny Cradock and “Galloping Gourmet” Graham Kerr telling us how to create exotic dishes we are only likely to eat on the rarest of occasions.

Of a more recent vintage, The Hairy Bikers - two eccentric middle-aged men who, it might be politely said, could do with losing a pound or two here and there and had they not been so slightly off centre might never have reached the small screen - delight millions of viewers with their culinary tips.

Masterchef was once a source of amusement when presented by Loyd Grossman for the meals people concocted but now is seen by many entrants as a potential way of becoming an entrepreneur.

Nowadays, food programmes have taken over the Saturday morning schedules.

And then we have just seen Celebrity Bake Off, where 16 stars vied with each other to see who could bake the best cake.

OK, it was all a bit of fun in aid of Sport Relief. but there is only so much of this sort of thing Mr Pendle can stomach.

As someone who has never been addicted to the drip drip of cuisine programmes, he has never suffered from cold turkey.

But it would be nice to study a menu of TV delights now and again and find it free from additives of a kitchen-based nature.