While surfing the DirecTV guide, I came across a show called The Supersizers Go… on the Cooking Channel. Lo and behold, it’s a British cooking show, sort of. It’s actually a combination of a food show and a history show.
Here’s the premise: Restaurant critic Giles Coren and comedian Sue Perkins dress up in period costumes and for a week eat food from that particular period. Then a doctor checks to see how their health has been affected by such diets. It’s actually quite funny. Sue Perkins is a riot.
The first, and at this point only, episode I’ve seen is The Supersizers Go Regency. Not only do you get to see what awful, fatty, sometimes disgusting foods the British ate during that period (boar’s head, jugged hare, sheep’s tongue, cheese with maggots, yes, maggots), but you also get to learn some history of the time. Apparently, the Prince Regent was a big, fat whoremonger with gout. Who knew?
And boy, did these people drink! There were at least two types of alcohol served at each meal. Guess they needed to lift their spirits with spirits. It wasn’t like there was too much going on. Think of Jane Austen times.
Not only do Giles and Sue eat the food and dress the part, they actually go about their lives as if they lived during the Regency period, 1789-1821. Sue spends part of her time during the show looking for a suitable husband. While Giles, estate owner and quite the Beau Brummel, keeps a lookout for poachers on his land.
Giles and Sue did two series, The Supersizers Go and The Supersizers Eat. The “Go” series covers different periods in British history (Victorian, Elizabethan, World War II) and the “Eat” series involves different historical periods around the world (Ancient Rome, The French Revolution, Medieval England).
MAIN CAST:
Giles Coren
Sue Perkins
Total Seasons: 2 (12 episodes)
Seasons Available on US Formatted DVD: 0
In Production: 2008-2009
Viewer Discretion: None
Sounds kinda funny…
It actually is. Another episode is on tonight at 10pm EST on the Cooking Channel.
I’m in the UK, so can’t watch that! I’ll try and find it on iplayer or something though, at some point. Currently watching Jullian Fellowes’ new Titanic series!
I didn’t realize you were in the UK. Awesome! Where? I’ve traveled around the UK a couple of times and just love it. Anyway, we’re going to be able to see JF’s Titanic next weekend on the 100th anniversary of the sinking.
Yup! Cool, where did you go? Ooh, exciting. The series is ok at the moment, very dramatic, but nothing compared to the original or Downton.
I figured it would be difficult for him to top Downton. On my trips to the UK we went to: London, Bath, Oxford, Stratford, Lands’ End, York, Liverpool, then up to Edinburgh for the Festival a couple years. Loved that!! I’m sure there were more places we visited, but I can’t remember them all!
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Too true… Looks like you’ve been everywhere! Except Wales… There are more sheep than people there, you know- quite an attraction. I’m joking, it’s a great place, really! And there is a big BBC centre in Cardiff, as you are a TV buff! They shoot Doctor Who there, I think… And Torchwood, as far as I remember; all sorts of stuff…
Yeah, never got to Wales. Seen it on Gavin & Stacey though!
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Do you watch Merlin? (Sorry, if I have asked you that already.) I watched a funny programme hosted by the two stars, Bradley and Colin, who did a mini-tour of Wales in a quest to find out more about the original Arthurian legends. It’s called ‘The Real Merlin and Arthur.’ More info here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00ny2zx
I started watching it. Seen a few episodes. Was drawn to it because of Richard Wilson who I loved in One Foot in the Grave. I’ve got to get back to the rest of the series. That documentary sounds fun.
Yeah, Merlin is a good series.
The doc. is a bit random 
I saw commercials for this, but haven’t had the nerve to watch it yet. I get really squeamish when there are things like whole pigs and massive hunks of flesh on TV, even if they have been cooked. Was there a lot of that? Someday, when I win the lottery, I am going to employ someone just to watch stuff for me and make sure it’s safe!
HA! I’ve only seen one episode so far and there was some uncooked stuff. And as mentioned, maggots. I’ve got another episode on the DVR to watch. I’ll give you a report!
Thanks!
Just watched The Supersizers Go Wartime. The worst part was that they had to ration stuff during WWII, so they created a lot of mock stuff. Some raw meat, but not much. The funniest part was when Sue scraped left over cottage pie into her purse. Couldn’t let it go to waste.