
Sunday Brunch viewers distracted by Simon Rimmer's habit as they issue same complaint
Channel 4 viewers watching the latest Sunday Brunch episode raised concerns about presenter Simon Rimmer.
The programme featured guests Rachel Riley, Ashley Roberts, Ryan Sampson, Harriet Webb, and Geoff Norcott alongside hosts Tim Lovejoy and Simon with the usual mix of celebrity chat and culinary segments.
However, one particular mannerism began drawing criticism from eagle-eyed viewers at home.
Taking to X, formerly Twitter, one frustrated viewer posted: "#sundaybrunch why does [Simon] that fake sipping from his mug ? Probably because he can't think of anything to add to the interview."
Another observer echoed similar sentiments, writing online: "Rimmer constantly picking up his empty mug again and taking pretend sips."
Beyond the presenting style, some viewers expressed dissatisfaction with the guest line-up, with many switching channels.
One disgruntled fan commented: "As usual, I've never heard of most of them! And that Ashley Roberts just talks over the others. I'll join you with Titchmarsh."
Similarly, another viewer declared: "#sundaybrunch Riley and Norcott on the same show. No thanks. Won't be watching today.", reports the Express.
Despite the criticism, the show wasn't without its supporters. One enthusiastic viewer praised: "Lovely to see @jennylinford on #SundayBrunch talking about her book #Repast ! Fascinating stuff . . . Amazing objects from @britishmuseum."
Meanwhile, another optimistic fan noted: "People I recognise it could be a good #SundayBrunch this week."
Last week, the programme took an uncomfortable twist and left Simon having to tackle the elephant in the room, "why has the Channel 4 show never won a Bafta?".
During one section, Omar Allibhoy needed to use the noisy blender to create a watermelon gazpacho soup to go with his tuna carpaccio dish.
He said sorry before switching on the kitchen gadget for several seconds, and then Simon appeared on screen and joked: "It's no wonder we've never won a Bafta," as everyone in the studio erupted into laughter.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Scottish Sun
11 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Comedy star Sacha Baron Cohen brings back classic character and it's NOT Borat, exclusive pics reveal
A passer-by reveals how they were 'amazed' when they spotted the star ROLE REPRISAL Comedy star Sacha Baron Cohen brings back classic character and it's NOT Borat, exclusive pics reveal Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SACHA Baron Cohen's classic comedy character Ali G is making a comeback — as our exclusive shot reveals. The comedian and actor, 53, was photographed filming new scenes last week. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 3 Sacha baron Cohen dressed as Ali G was spotted in a Cotswolds zoo park, sporting a new look with a crocheted rastacap Credit: NC 3 His classic comedy character Ali G is making a comeback Credit: PA:Press Association 3 Ali first appeared in 1998 on Channel 4 series The 11 O'Clock Show Credit: Channel 4 He was in a Cotswolds zoo park, sporting a new look with a crocheted rastacap. Ali, from Staines, Surrey — catchphrase 'Is it coz I is black' — first appeared in 1998 on Channel 4 series The 11 O'Clock Show. He starred in three series of Da Ali G Show until 2004 and in 2002 film Ali G Indahouse. A passer-by who saw the filming in Chipping Norton, said: 'He was with a whole film crew and was in full character. Read more on Sacha Baron Cohen VERY NIIICE PAYBACK! Sacha Baron Cohen 'scared Isla will spill secrets' after 'sausage' gag "He seemed very comfortable in the role. 'I was amazed, I thought to myself 'that's Ali G'. 'He clearly updated Ali G's wardrobe. "He's replaced his tracksuit and skull cap, but he still had gold jewellery and tinted shades.'


Metro
2 hours ago
- Metro
Two Jewish comedians have Fringe shows cancelled due to staff 'safety concerns'
Jewish comedians Rachel Creeger and Philip Simon have spoken out after having their shows axed unexpectedly. Both were due to perform at the Whistlebinkies bar as part of this year's Edinburgh Fringe, which runs from August 1 to 25. Creeger's show was titled Ultimate Jewish Mother and would mark her third time doing stand-up at Whistlebinkies. Simon, who co-hosts the podcast Jew Talkin' To Me? alongside Creeger, was due to take his variety show, Jew-O-Rama, which displays Jewish comedic talents, to the same venue. However, just weeks before taking to the stage, they were informed that the shows would not be going ahead, claiming they were told that venue staff expressed safety fears. The comedians were allegedly notified of the cancellation on July 18. At this point, despite their intention of booking another venue, it was already too late to make secondary plans. Consequently, their names no longer appear on the official Fringe site. According to The Telegraph, the concerns were allegedly raised after an announcement said police supervision would be increased for the venue, amid existing concerns about the safety of Jewish acts. Creeger told the publication: 'Sadly, this is part of an ongoing problem faced by Jewish performers in this country. 'We are being cancelled and often silently boycotted.' Meanwhile, Simon voiced his own qualms about the immediate 'solution' to the alleged safety concerns being to 'remove the Jews from the bill'. 'This is emblematic of the problem facing Jewish artists and performers in the UK today,' he stated. In a statement to Chortle, Free Fringe CEO Luke Meredith said: 'The decision not to host the two shows was taken by the venue alone. So far as we understand, this was a staff decision based on last year's experience when they experienced a significant rise in both 'Free Palestine' and Zionist graffiti, together with police notices that they said made them feel unsafe. 'The matter was first brought to our attention in late May, after the print deadline for the brochure had passed. I thought at the time that, having explained the police were only taking precautions and no actual threats had been made, and that moving them after they were already advertised in print might be detrimental, that the matter had been resolved. Apparently, however, it had been understood that we were to move the shows.' Meredith continued on Friday: 'I was made aware of this a week ago, and since then we have been working with the shows to try and find them a suitable replacement slot, including approaching other organisations. 'Nothing has been possible so far, but we welcome any offer of help. If anyone has a space in central Edinburgh that would like to host them, we would be happy to run it.' Speaking further to the Jewish Chronicle, Simon declared that 'this would not happen to any other ethnic minority'. 'We are bipartisan. My show is a Jewish compilation show where we have a rolling lineup of Jewish and non-Jewish comedians.' On what his show entails, further adding to the shock and confusion he felt when the show was scrapped, Simon added: 'We had no politics, as far as I'm aware, put out onto the stage.' He explained how the show has been running for about nine years and has already been hosted in Whistlebinkies five times, insisting his material is 'not about Israel whatsoever', but suggesting others now feel 'braver' in what they can complain about. 'My show is really about the idea that all mums are the same,' said Creeger. 'It ends with wishing for peace for everyone. It's like a lovely, warm hug of a show.' The pair are now experiencing financial hardship, having paid thousands to fund their Fringe shows. This included travel, accommodation, and marketing costs. 'It's about £2,500,' Creeger revealed of what she has already spent. 'Which I have to save up for the entire year to afford.' More Trending Pointing out what he believes are double standards, Simon argued that there would be 'outrage' if this happened to other comedians who were not Jewish, saying the venue would be 'boycotted, shut down, [and] never allowed to trade'. 'That's not what we're asking for in the least … but there's no logic as to why this has happened this year specifically.' Simon has two other shows, Shall I Compere Thee in a Funny Way? and School's Out Comedy Club, which are still scheduled to go ahead at this year's Fringe. Whistlebinkies and the Edinburgh Fringe have been contacted for comment. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Airline denies removing 40 children from flight because they were Jewish


Times
3 hours ago
- Times
I've found the perfect day out for fans of Taskmaster
The extent to which Taskmaster has taken over the world is terrifying. There's the main Channel 4 series, of course — a sort of lateral-thinking talent show designed to delight and frustrate its contestants in equal measure. But things have splintered off into a million streams since then. There's a junior version, a book, a board game, a virtual-reality game, a live experience, a version for schools, a version to help the homeless — there is even a range of Taskmaster Christmas crackers. However, Taskmaster has now decided to come directly to the people. As I discovered during a drizzly Wednesday morning this week at Dover Castle in Kent, there is now an official Taskmaster English Heritage experience. Scattered across 17 sites around the country — from Audley End to Wrest Park — a fleet of postboxes have been set up for the summer holidays. Inside them are envelopes containing a challenge for visitors to attempt. On the basis of the Dover Castle challenge, these vary wildly in tone and difficulty: one postbox contained a dress-up box and instructions to re-enact a moment in history in 30 seconds or less; another involves balancing as many rubber ducks on your person as possible. The latter is particularly fiendish — despite an early flurry of enthusiasm I quickly came to realise that my body contains no flat surfaces whatsoever. After a minute I had managed to perch only seven ducks on my body, despite laying flat on damp grass. At that point, to compound my utter uselessness, a co-ordinator strolled over to inform me that a large Swedish man had covered himself in 80 the day before. The genius of Taskmaster (the TV show) is that each challenge is so open-ended you cannot help but think of all the ways in which you'd tackle it, with the most recent tasks including 'do something really cool' and 'eat this yoghurt with the least dignity'. The genius of Taskmaster (English Heritage edition) is that it demonstrates beyond all doubt these things are much harder in practice than in theory. Take the castle-building challenge, which on paper couldn't have appeared easier. You are instructed to use a trunkful of oversized Jenga blocks to construct a castle that can safely defend a rubber duck from an onslaught of other rubber ducks thrown by the judge (rubber ducks, as you may have deduced, is a primary theme of the event). The smart thing to do here — the thing that my children, aged seven and ten, did — would be to make an impenetrable Jenga shell. But I blanked and gave my castles little windows that were, it turns out, big enough for a rubber duck to pass through. My wife, acting as adjudicator, popped a single duck through the window and the game was over. This brings me to a separate complaint. Greg Davies is a fine Taskmaster TV host. He is firm but fair and never plays favourites. My wife, on the other hand, had a biological imperative to favour my children's efforts over mine. The dressing-up challenge stipulated that the 'most emotional' re-creation would win — something that my seven-year-old exploited by screaming 'I can't do it' and flinging himself to the floor. Historically accurate? Absolutely not. But emotional? Unquestionably. As such, my wife awarded him maximum points (and my own note-perfect impression of a Second World War warden barely any), and now we're not really talking any more. • 33 of the best holidays around the world for your bucket list It became clear that despite its huge reach Taskmaster remains a relatively niche interest. At times it felt as though there were the traditional English Heritage visitors (pleasant, middle-class, earnest) then the people who had come to take up the challenges (younger, louder, more willing to cover themselves in ducks). But I suppose that is the point. Once our challenge was over my children, who are not particularly castle-orientated, had a whale of a time exploring the site — an ancient fortress perched on a cliff with secret wartime tunnels and (of less national importance) a really good playground. And who knows, perhaps the more conservative patrons might have been tempted to give the games a shot too — what potentially brilliant cross-pollination this could be. However, the experience did teach me that professional comedians must have no discernible sense of shame. When they're made to look foolish by a task they're doing it in front of a large viewing audience, while at the Heritage sites the biggest crowd of onlookers you might get is a consignment of slightly baffled Italian students. But even that was enough to send me into spasms of mortification. • 16 of the best family adventure holidays One task resulted in everyone present — me, my wife, my kids and a lovely Canadian family — all speaking in broad American accents. This would have been fine except: a) the only American accent I can do is Cletus the Slack-Jawed Yokel from The Simpsons; b) three very nice old American women walked past and glared at me; and c) this made me die inside to such an embarrassing extent that I wanted to spend the rest of the day following them around and apologising. As you may have guessed, I came dead last, beaten by my ten-year-old and seven-year-old. English Heritage promises that the challenges are slightly different at each site, so I might try Battle Abbey in East Sussex next — with a different adjudicator, obviously. My marriage wouldn't survive it otherwise. This article contains affiliate links that will earn us revenue Stuart Heritage was a guest of English Heritage, which is hosting Taskmaster challenges at 17 sites daily until August 31, included in site entry fees; Dover Castle admission is from £29 for adults, £18 for children ( Would you try a Taskmaster-themed event? Let us know in the comments