We all love to watch Come Dine With Me – particularly for Dave Lamb’s brilliant (and often rather rude) commentary to the show. Who wouldn’t want a bunch of strangers coming round to your house to critique your food and go through your drawers? Well most normal people would hate that…
But we don’t always see the full story behind Come Dine With Me. Did you know these truths behind the show?
1. The application process is looking for competitive and opinionated people.
The initial application is a hefty 6-page document which asks you how competitive you are, how well you cope with criticism and what irritates you about other people. It also asks how opinionated you are and gets you to list some opinions you have.
2. Indeed the application process is REALLY long.
Along with your application you have to submit two sample menus with your application. You have to then have three phone interviews with the show’s researchers to ensure you’re right for the show.
3. Each contestant is given an allowance.
You’re given an £125 Come Dine With Me allowance in order to buy the ingredients and drinks for your night.
4. On your day the crew arrive at 10:30am in the morning.
As soon as they arrive they begin making your home television happy by removing copyright posters, any clocks, halogen bulbs and putting orange screens on your windows to improve the lighting. There is both a morning TV crew and an evening one.
5. The night is REALLY long.
The Come Dine With Me diners arrive at 4:30pm. Each contestant is interviewed for 30 minutes after each course and after arrival meaning that dessert is quite often served after midnight. Indeed, the night can keep going until 3am.
6. The taxi the contestants score in isn’t their real taxi!
Instead Come Dine With Me contestants are driven around for 30 minutes in a taxi to score then sent home in a different taxi. They must be knackered!
7. The crew are pretty naughty…
They actively play Devil’s advocate by encouraging contestants to be mean to each other and encourage contestants to serve up any dish that has went wrong. It makes better television!
8. Contestants are sent a DVD of their episode a few weeks before it airs.
Just so they can see just how naughty they were on the show – or at least how it’s been edited to look like…
