UK show 'Come Dine With Me' is getting a Middle East remake

A casting call for contestants is coming soon…

Famed for its over-competitive contestants and the savage commentary of its narrator, Come Dine With Me is one of the most popular cooking shows on UK TV.

Today we learned that local TV network OSN has secured the rights to produce and screen a Middle Eastern version of the show, and we’re excited. Not so much for the cuisine. More the cutting clap-backs of guests and voiceover.

The UAE will be the 11th country to adapt the franchise which is built on a winning ingredients list of passion for cooking, eccentricity and the potential for personality clashes.

We know that the local production will follow the same episode structure as the UK version. Over the course of a week, four strangers take it in turns to cook and host a three-course dinner for the other three guests, with wildly varying results.

Each night, the three guests get to rate their host’s dinner party with a score out of 10. Often leading to tactical voting, snidey comments and outrageous outbursts of one-upmanship.

At the end of the week, the votes are tabulated and the winner walks away with a cash prize.

OSN has locked-in for a 45-episode run and shows will air from Sunday to Thursday with a fresh batch of contestants every week.

A casting call for which, will be starting soon.

Budding amateur chefs will be drawn from various nationality pools, such as Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Egypt, Bahrain, Oman, as well as Western ex-pats.

With such a rich diversity of culture and cuisine, the UAE might actually be the perfect setting for the concept.

During the course of each episode, we get a behind-the-scenes look at the host preparing the meal. Including what they make from scratch, and what gets shop-bought ready-made.

If the running commentary from this, the UAE-based Come Dine With Me, follows queues from the British version, you can expect that chicken will not be the only thing getting roasted.

Narrator Dave Lamb’s hilarious and ruthless observations are another reason for the show’s enduring success.

To whet your appetite for the UAE incarnation, here’s a few classic comedy moments from the UK version.

Rolla Karam, Head of Arabic Programming at OSN commented“We believe that Come Dine with Me will be as huge a success in the Middle East as it is in the United Kingdom and are very excited for what’s to come in the pipeline in terms of original productions.”

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