Rise of the Rockstar Chef on BBC Two: Start Time, Episodes and Who Is in It
Image: BBC Episode 1 of 3: Thursday 5 November 2026, 9pm to 10pm, BBC Two.
Rise of the Rockstar Chef is a new three-part BBC documentary about Marco Pierre White, Gordon Ramsay and Heston Blumenthal, the three chefs whose rivalries and restaurants reshaped British cooking. The first episode is on BBC Two at 9pm on Thursday 5 November 2026, and BBC Two repeats it at 11pm on Tuesday 10 November.
Updated Wednesday 4 November 2026, before episode 1. Nothing here goes beyond what the BBC and the listings have published.
What time is Rise of the Rockstar Chef on?
Episode 1 starts at 9pm on Thursday 5 November 2026 on BBC Two and lasts an hour. If you miss it, the same episode is back on BBC Two at 11pm on Tuesday 10 November. The dates for episodes 2 and 3 are not in the listings yet. The rest of the evening on the channel is in our BBC Two TV guide.
What is Rise of the Rockstar Chef about?
The series tells the story of how Marco Pierre White, Gordon Ramsay and Heston Blumenthal climbed to the top of British restaurants, and of the fights and falling-outs along the way. The three chefs give their own accounts. Former commis chefs, maitres d’ and food critics who saw it happen add theirs.
It was commissioned for the BBC in July 2026 by Catherine Catton, who runs factual entertainment and events commissions at the BBC. Ramsay’s own company, Studio Ramsay Global, makes it.
What happens in episode 1?
The opening hour is Marco’s. It goes back to the 1980s, when the top of fine dining in Britain meant French cooking, and follows how he broke into it and raised the bar for the two who came after. Gordon Ramsay appears as his young protege, and Heston Blumenthal is only at the start of his career.
Episode 1 also brings in chefs who came up in those kitchens or alongside them: Marcus Wareing, Michel Roux Jr, Angela Hartnett, Clare Smyth and Tom Kerridge. We stop there; the BBC has not described episodes 2 and 3 in detail yet.
Rise of the Rockstar Chef episode guide
| Episode | First on BBC Two | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thursday 5 November 2026 | 9pm |
| 2 | Not listed yet | |
| 3 | Not listed yet |
Each episode in the listings runs an hour. BBC Two repeats episode 1 at 11pm on Tuesday 10 November 2026. Listings only run about a week ahead, so we will fill in episodes 2 and 3 as soon as their dates appear.
Do the three chefs reunite?
Yes. The series closes with Ramsay, Marco Pierre White and Blumenthal together on screen. It is over ten years since the three were last filmed side by side. Ramsay once worked under Marco, and the two fell out publicly afterwards, which is why the reunion is the part most people are waiting for.
Who is in it?
| Who | Part in the series |
|---|---|
| Marco Pierre White | One of the three chefs the series is about |
| Gordon Ramsay | One of the three chefs the series is about |
| Heston Blumenthal | One of the three chefs the series is about |
| Marcus Wareing, Michel Roux Jr, Angela Hartnett, Clare Smyth, Tom Kerridge | Contributors in episode 1 |
Who made it?
Studio Ramsay Global, Gordon Ramsay’s production company, made the series for the BBC. Zoe Dobson is the director, and Lisa Edwards and Amanda Westwood are the executive producers.
Is it on BBC One or BBC Two?
BBC Two. When the BBC announced the series in July 2026, it named BBC One and iPlayer as its home. The listings for Thursday 5 November put the first episode on BBC Two at 9pm, and that is where to find it.
How to watch
| Platform | BBC Two |
|---|---|
| Freeview | 2 (HD on 102) |
| Sky | 102 |
| Virgin Media | 102 |
| Freesat | 102 |
| Freely | 2 |
The series was commissioned for BBC iPlayer as well as TV, so episodes should be there after they air. Watching live or on iPlayer needs a TV licence. The listing carries a strong language warning, and the episode has subtitles and audio description. For every channel’s evening, see what’s on TV tonight, and for channel numbers on every platform, our Freeview channel guide.
Frequently asked questions
What time is Rise of the Rockstar Chef on tonight?
Episode 1 is on BBC Two at 9pm on Thursday 5 November 2026 and runs for an hour, to 10pm. BBC Two shows the same episode again at 11pm on Tuesday 10 November.
What channel is Rise of the Rockstar Chef on?
BBC Two. The BBC first announced it in July 2026 as a BBC One and iPlayer commission, but the listings place the first episode on BBC Two. BBC Two is 2 on Freeview (HD on 102) and 102 on Sky, Virgin Media and Freesat.
How many episodes of Rise of the Rockstar Chef are there?
Three. Episode 1 is on Thursday 5 November 2026. The dates for episodes 2 and 3 are not in the listings yet, and we add them here when they are.
Who is in Rise of the Rockstar Chef?
The series is about Marco Pierre White, Gordon Ramsay and Heston Blumenthal, and all three take part. Episode 1 also hears from Marcus Wareing, Michel Roux Jr, Angela Hartnett, Clare Smyth and Tom Kerridge.
Do Gordon Ramsay and Marco Pierre White reunite in the series?
Yes. The series ends with Ramsay, Marco Pierre White and Heston Blumenthal together on screen, their first time side by side on camera in more than ten years.
Who made Rise of the Rockstar Chef?
Studio Ramsay Global, Gordon Ramsay’s own production company, made it for the BBC. Zoe Dobson directed, and Lisa Edwards and Amanda Westwood are the executive producers.
Is Rise of the Rockstar Chef on BBC iPlayer?
The BBC commissioned it for iPlayer as well as TV, so expect episodes there once they have aired on BBC Two. Episode 1 airs at 9pm on Thursday 5 November 2026.
Is Rise of the Rockstar Chef suitable for children?
The listing carries a strong language warning, and it airs at 9pm, after the watershed. It has subtitles and audio description.
Related: BBC Two TV guide | What’s on TV tonight | Freeview channel guide
