Whites (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Whites is a BBC
sitcom, written by Oliver Lansley and Matt King
, and starring Alan Davies
as the executive chef at a country house hotel
. BBC Two
gave the go ahead for the show to go into production in August 2009 with the first episode airing in September 2010. Whites aired for six episodes in 2010. On 1 March 2011 Davies announced that the BBC would not be renewing Whites for another series.
) and his restaurant manager Caroline (Katherine Parkinson
). They try to cope with an incompetent waitress (Isy Suttie
), ambitious apprentice chef Scoose Stephen Wight
and the mercurial hotel owner Celia (Maggie Steed
).
used his experiences working in restaurants to form the basis for Whites. King and Oliver Lansley tried to follow the lead of shows like Entourage
and 30 Rock
in writing Whites. In order to prepare for their roles, the cast trained under the chefs at Jamie Oliver
's restaurant Fifteen
. For her role as Kiki, Isy Suttie learned to the play the trumpet.
Speaking on his Twitter
feed on 1 March 2011, Alan Davies confirmed that Whites would not be returning for a second series. Fans launched an unsuccessful "Bring Back Whites" campaign in response to the show's cancellation. Davies later complained to The Daily Telegraph
that he "got an email from someone I’d never met" informing him of the decision to cancel the show.
, saying "The problem with doing a comedy about chefs and restaurants is that the real thing does it so much better."
Whites had 2.37 million viewers for its debut episode on 28 September 2010. The finale, which aired on 2 November 2010, attracted 1.58 million viewers. Since the ratings were above average, the The British Comedy Guide speculated that "the show is a casualty of the BBC Comedy department having to make spending cuts".
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
sitcom, written by Oliver Lansley and Matt King
Matt King (comedian)
Matt King is an English actor, writer of BBC sitcom Whites and comedian. He is known for his role as self-absorbed musician Super Hans in the British sitcom Peep Show....
, and starring Alan Davies
Alan Davies
Alan Davies is an English comedian, writer and actor best known for starring in the TV mystery series Jonathan Creek and as the permanent panellist on the TV panel show QI.- Early life :...
as the executive chef at a country house hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
. BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
gave the go ahead for the show to go into production in August 2009 with the first episode airing in September 2010. Whites aired for six episodes in 2010. On 1 March 2011 Davies announced that the BBC would not be renewing Whites for another series.
Plot
After the beginnings of a seemingly promising career, Roland White (Alan Davies) is executive chef at the White House hotel and well past his prime. He deals with his stuttered career by leaving much of the day to day difficulties of running the restaurant to his best friend and sous-chef Bib (Darren BoydDarren Boyd
Darren Boyd is an English actor well known for his roles in Smack the Pony, Green Wing, Whites and most recently for playing the role of John Cleese in Holy Flying Circus. He is a classically trained singer, and played a jazz musician in NBC’s Watching Ellie...
) and his restaurant manager Caroline (Katherine Parkinson
Katherine Parkinson
Laura Katherine Parkinson is an English actress and comedian who is known for playing the part of Jen Barber in the Channel 4 comedy series The IT Crowd...
). They try to cope with an incompetent waitress (Isy Suttie
Isy Suttie
Isobel "Isy" Suttie is an English stand up comedian, actress, writer, and musician. She is best known for playing the role of Dobby in the British sitcom Peep Show.-Career:...
), ambitious apprentice chef Scoose Stephen Wight
Stephen Wight
Stephen Wight is a British actor, who trained at the Drama Centre London.-Career:Wight's television career dates back to 2003 with a minor part in Casualty....
and the mercurial hotel owner Celia (Maggie Steed
Maggie Steed
Maggie Steed is an English actress and comedienne.-Youth:After studying drama at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in Bristol, she left the theatre for several years.-Career:...
).
Production
Co-writer Matt KingMatt King (comedian)
Matt King is an English actor, writer of BBC sitcom Whites and comedian. He is known for his role as self-absorbed musician Super Hans in the British sitcom Peep Show....
used his experiences working in restaurants to form the basis for Whites. King and Oliver Lansley tried to follow the lead of shows like Entourage
Entourage
An entourage is an informal group or band of people who are closely associated with a famous, notorious or otherwise notable individual...
and 30 Rock
30 Rock
30 Rock is an American television comedy series created by Tina Fey that airs on NBC. The series is loosely based on Fey's experiences as head writer for Saturday Night Live...
in writing Whites. In order to prepare for their roles, the cast trained under the chefs at Jamie Oliver
Jamie Oliver
James "Jamie" Trevor Oliver, MBE , sometimes known as The Naked Chef, is an English chef, restaurateur and media personality, known for his food-focused television shows, cookbooks and more recently his campaign against the use of processed foods in national schools...
's restaurant Fifteen
Jamie's Kitchen
Jamie's Kitchen is a five-part British documentary television series that aired on Channel 4 from 5 November to 10 December 2002. It follows chef Jamie Oliver as he attempts to train a group of fifteen disadvantaged youth, who will — if they complete the course — be offered jobs at Oliver's new...
. For her role as Kiki, Isy Suttie learned to the play the trumpet.
Speaking on his Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
feed on 1 March 2011, Alan Davies confirmed that Whites would not be returning for a second series. Fans launched an unsuccessful "Bring Back Whites" campaign in response to the show's cancellation. Davies later complained to The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
that he "got an email from someone I’d never met" informing him of the decision to cancel the show.
Cast
- Alan DaviesAlan DaviesAlan Davies is an English comedian, writer and actor best known for starring in the TV mystery series Jonathan Creek and as the permanent panellist on the TV panel show QI.- Early life :...
as Roland White, the Chef de cuisine - Darren BoydDarren BoydDarren Boyd is an English actor well known for his roles in Smack the Pony, Green Wing, Whites and most recently for playing the role of John Cleese in Holy Flying Circus. He is a classically trained singer, and played a jazz musician in NBC’s Watching Ellie...
as Bib, Roland's long-suffering sous-chef - Katherine ParkinsonKatherine ParkinsonLaura Katherine Parkinson is an English actress and comedian who is known for playing the part of Jen Barber in the Channel 4 comedy series The IT Crowd...
as Caroline, the restaurant manager and maitre d' - Stephen WightStephen WightStephen Wight is a British actor, who trained at the Drama Centre London.-Career:Wight's television career dates back to 2003 with a minor part in Casualty....
as Skoose, an ornery apprentice chef with ambitions for Bib's job - Isy SuttieIsy SuttieIsobel "Isy" Suttie is an English stand up comedian, actress, writer, and musician. She is best known for playing the role of Dobby in the British sitcom Peep Show.-Career:...
as Kiki, a scatty waitress - Maggie SteedMaggie SteedMaggie Steed is an English actress and comedienne.-Youth:After studying drama at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in Bristol, she left the theatre for several years.-Career:...
as Celia, the hotel owner
Episode list
| # | Title | Director | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|
Reception
Reviews of the series have been mixed to positive. Dan Owen of the website Obsessed With Film gave the series three of four stars, claiming, "The great pleasure of Whites is that it has detail and reality to it. The production's slick and assured, while the ensemble of actors are perfectly cast." The Guardian also wrote a generally positive review, stating the show is "gentle, subtly played, often funny and quite promising." Metro UK wrote the show didn't entertain as well as Gordon RamsayGordon Ramsay
Gordon James Ramsay, OBE is a Scottish chef, television personality and restaurateur. He has been awarded 13 Michelin stars....
, saying "The problem with doing a comedy about chefs and restaurants is that the real thing does it so much better."
Whites had 2.37 million viewers for its debut episode on 28 September 2010. The finale, which aired on 2 November 2010, attracted 1.58 million viewers. Since the ratings were above average, the The British Comedy Guide speculated that "the show is a casualty of the BBC Comedy department having to make spending cuts".