[LDN]

We've known for some time that MasterChef will be leaving its current home at Three Mills in London, and moving to a new dedicated home at the former Banana Warehouse in Digbeth, Birmingham. Obviously, the show will look quite different when it relocates in 2024, if for no other reason than it will be coming from completely new studios -- but I suspect an update is also coming to the presentational elements of the programme (branding, titles, in-show graphics, etc).

I stumbled across a BBC News article today, published in January, which has a visualisation of what the new studios might look like: 



I was immediately struck by two things: First, the use of the global MasterChef wordmark, rather than the horrid -- and very mid-Noughties -- typeface currently used on the UK show, as shown below... 



...and second, how similar the new studio visualisation appears to international variants of the show, such as MasterChef USA and MasterChef Australia, e.g.:



The BBC series has stubbornly resisted switching to the global MasterChef branding for years, which has always confused me -- given that the Beeb doesn't own the MasterChef format, I'm surprised the UK version has been able to continue doing its own thing in terms of both design and format for so long. 

Perhaps the move to Digbeth is being seen as the perfect opportunity to finally align the show's design with that of its international counterparts? And if that's the case, we'll surely see new or updated titles, and perhaps a new design for captions (e.g. name, hometown, etc). And if there is to be an alignment of branding, I wonder if the format of the UK show might also be tweaked to reflect the more competitive style of the international shows (e.g. all contestants in every show from the very beginning, rather than multiple heats with small groups of contestants at a time; more group challenges; earning 'advantages' and 'immunity' from being sent home, etc). 

Now, a quick, but much-needed, splash of cold water. 

I do of course realise that the image that started off this rambling post is just an 'artist's impression' by Stanhope, the firm managing the design and construction works, and I've seen enough artist's impressions to know that agencies often get details (even quite big and obvious ones!) wrong in their visualisations -- so it's entirely possible that all of this is based on nothing more than a mistake by the artists... 

...but I do think introducing a new/updated look at the same time as relocating to the new studios makes sense, so I'm inclined to believe (perhaps foolishly!) that it's not a mistake, and that it might just happen.

And frankly, the current titles are older than Fanny Cradock, so it's about time! 😄

(MasterChef UK image credit: Stanhope / BBC News www.bbc.com )

New BBC MasterChef studios plan in Birmingham approved - BBC News
New studios will occupy the former Banana Warehouse in the Digbeth area of Birmi…
  Source: www.bbc.com

[Earlie37]

I wouldn't read too much into that visualisation. That font is used in many 3D renderings for buildings and projects - frequently you'll see it used with the word SIGNAGE or some very cheesy play on an existing brand name (e.g. Coffstir).

[LDN]

I wouldn't read too much into that visualisation. That font is used in many 3D renderings for buildings and projects - frequently you'll see it used with the word SIGNAGE or some very cheesy play on an existing brand name (e.g. Coffstir).

But I'm not basing anything solely on a font, or a generic 'COMPANY NAME' sign in the background. 

The design of the studio in the visualisation is self-evidently based on the international versions of the show; this is surely beyond dispute (?!). Therefore, the font used is obviously intended to be the global MasterChef logo. The visualisation shows the same application of the wordmark -- prominently splashed across the centre of the front workstation -- as seen in international versions. 

That's not the result of a coincidence based on someone using a generic font commonly used in building design. The design of the studio in the visualisation, and the design and application of the MasterChef wordmark in the image, quite clearly align with that of global editions of the show.

The question is whether or not the visualisation matches the eventual reality. Will the studio actually look like this, with updated branding? Or is it just a render that was based on the international design as nothing but a placeholder, until the actual design is finalised? 

If it's the latter, I shall probably look most foolish -- but it wouldn't be the first time, and it certainly won't be the last.

[tellyblues]

I think changing too much too soon on Masterchef would be a bad move. The show not having the same "one goes home every week" format is maybe a good thing and introducing stuff like immunity would likely be seen as unfair and would alienate long term viewers.

[LDN]

I think changing too much too soon on Masterchef would be a bad move. The show not having the same "one goes home every week" format is maybe a good thing and introducing stuff like immunity would likely be seen as unfair and would alienate long term viewers.

I agree! 

I much prefer the calmer, more uplifting, more affirming UK version of MasterChef, compared with -- for example -- the angry shoutiness and tediously manufactured drama of the US version, with its contestant sniping and backchat, and gimmicks like immunity. 

The UK version is all about the food, and focuses more on celebrating contestants' achievements, instead of delighting in their failures (and their sweet delicious tears) as Gordon Ramsay's US version does. (Side note: the US version had a London-based two-episode special a couple of seasons back. I vaguely recall there was a fleeting, split-second in-the-background cameo by Gregg Wallace among 'invited guests' at a special dinner, but they didn't even hint at the existence of MasterChef UK.)

Personally, I hope the format doesn't change too much, if indeed they plan to change it at all -- but I wouldn't mind seeing one or two more of the challenges from the international versions make their way to the UK. For example: the MasterChef Celebrity challenge in which contestants must both cook an identical dish with a wall separating them, was introduced internationally before coming to the UK. 

But as for more substantial changes to the format... no thanks. 

[Brekkie]

They did try to streamline it a bit and lose the half hour show at the end of the week but it didn't seem to work for them so they returned to the previous format of 2 hour shows and one half hour shows, which is a legacy of it being a 5 day a week show on BBC2 when "Masterchef Goes Large" first began. I don't watch so not sure if the hour shows are still produced in a way where they could be split into two, or indeed if they're split that way to be sold internationally.

[Stuart]

I haven't really watched the international versions very much, but I like the way it currently works in the UK. I appreciate they're moving studio location, but that new set concept looks awful and impersonal.

One of the best features of the UK programme is the camaraderie between the contestants during the heats. They even help each other out when things go wrong or someone is running out of time. Changing that to some sort of 'conflict and immunity' scenario would be a bad move in my eyes. It would take away too much of what I enjoy about it. Keep the format as it is.

It's just a fun cooking competition. It makes me put on weight just by watching all that delicious food being prepared.

[strollfan]

Agree that the format needs to stay the same, but bringing the set more in line with the global versions would not go amiss. The current UK one has always looked a bit rudimentary and a bit dated to me.

[LDN]

I haven't really watched the international versions very much, but I like the way it currently works in the UK. I appreciate they're moving studio location, but that new set concept looks awful and impersonal.

One of the best features of the UK programme is the camaraderie between the contestants during the heats. They even help each other out when things go wrong or someone is running out of time. Changing that to some sort of 'conflict and immunity' scenario would be a bad move in my eyes. It would take away too much of what I enjoy about it. Keep the format as it is.

It's just a fun cooking competition. It makes me put on weight just by watching all that delicious food being prepared.

Personally, I quite like the studio design in the visualisation -- I would imagine that the finished product, if indeed it does follow the international style, would look much better on screen than the artists' impression suggests. 

The US version, for example, is a truly grand production on a considerable scale, filmed in an absolutely enormous studio, featuring:

[*]a huge central cooking space (as seen in the image I posted earlier)...
[*]...overlooked by a balcony/gallery walkway that can accommodate all 24 contestants at the same time, accessible by two separate stairwells;
[*]a lounge area on the upper level with sofas and chairs; 
[*]a podium area at the front of the studio -- the primary position for the judges throughout the show;
[*]a large 'market', around the size of a UK local convenience store;
[*]a wall of fresh herbs;
[*]a wine room (!!); 
[*]a vast cooking equipment storage room; and
[*]a 60-seater 'restaurant'. 


The design of the US set -- while being ludicrously over the top in its scale -- is still surprisingly 'warm' and even inviting in its aesthetic, and perhaps even just a little bit 'premium'... in a 'high-end hotel chain' sort of way. It's basically set design by Hilton or Radisson -- quite nice, comfortable, but also totally inoffensive. 

That's just my opinion, though.

But I certainly agree with everything else you said -- particularly with regard to my greedy eyes lustfully staring at the juicy, juicy food as my waistline spontaneously expands. 

(And just for reference: the US version is much closer to reality TV formats in terms of how BIG F**KING DRAMA suddenly happens right before every commercial break, contestants are filmed separately trash-talking each other to camera, and random twists are suddenly introduced to the rules of the show without notice. To put it simply, MasterChef USA is more about the competition (and the draaaaaama, dahling) than the food. 

That said, there have been some truly awesome, exciting, amusing, and completely WTF moments on MasterChef USA over the years. I found season 3 genuinely compelling -- indeed, as I recall, by the end of it, I was ugly-crying into a cushion in an uncontrolled emotional mess. 

But that's a story for my therapist.)

[steve]

They *did* change the format for the 2011 series to be more like the international versions - they said they couldn’t ignore the success of Australia, etc.

It was on once a week for an hour, in a warehouse style kitchen and they started with all the contestants and whittled them down week by week.

But it didn’t work here - for whatever reason, and they quickly reverted pretty much everything back to as was before with heats etc.

I suppose you don’t change a winning formula and it still does the business for BBC One despite being thrown all around the schedule.

I suspect we will see changes next year with the move to Birmingham - I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a third judge added, struck me having Monica and Anna in working with John in the semis this year was a good test (even if it was because Gregg was unwell).

With Monica back this year on Professionals with Marcus and Gregg, but Anna having gone down well filling in last year, I can see her having more of a role.