New Great British Menu judge Andi Oliver was glad cookery show fans found her a hit

NEW Great British Menu judge Andi Oliver says she feared a social media mauling after joining the show.

Andi, 53, replaced Prue Leith, who left to join the Great British Bake Off when Mary Berry vetoed moving with the show to Channel 4.

But while the chef and broadcaster was warmly welcomed by fellow judges Matthew Fort and Oliver Peyton, she was waiting for the verdict of loyal fans of the BBC2 teatime favourite.

“I wasn’t nervous filming the series at all, it felt really natural,” Andi told iN10.

“But two hours before my first episode went out, it suddenly hit me.

“I realised the aficionados of the series up and down the country may have something to say about me.

“That’s when I finally got nervous. I tried not to check Twitter in case everyone was really horrible, but I couldn’t stop myself.

“Fortunately people were lovely, which I really appreciate because I know it doesn’t always go that way.”

The series has been pulling in millions of viewers each year since it started in 2006, always with the same trio of judges.

And larger-than life Andi, who has said landing the job was a “double hooray” for being a “middle-aged, black woman on TV”, was more than conscious that change doesn’t always go down well.

“People feel a certain sense of ownership with a series like Great British Menu,” says Andi.

“I’ve watched it ever since it started and I can understand the protective way an audience feels about something they love.

“It’s natural to feel that way and I’m grateful they seem to be happy with me so far.”

The series sees three chefs from different regions of the country compete each week to get one of their dishes – starter, fish, main or dessert – through to a special banquet.

This time it’s to celebrate the 140th anniversary of Wimbledon, with the chefs, some holding Michelin stars, tasked with devising suitably summery recipes.

Andi, who recently opened her own self-titled restaurant, hasn’t been shy in offering criticism.

“I’m not scared to speak my mind. Those chefs have given so much – their heart, their soul, their talent – that it means everything to them.

“So it would patronising and unfair not to be honest about how you feel.

“The standard is incredibly high so you never get something bad to taste.

“Sometimes dishes are a little disappointing, but on the whole it’s such a great job to have.”

The judging sessions involving tasting all four dishes from the two chefs who have made it through to that week’s head-to-head finale.

Andi admits it means a lot of tucking in, chortling as she reveals her fellow judges advised wearing stretchy trousers for those days.

Andi is known from Radio 4’s Kitchen Cabinet and guest appearances on Saturday Kitchen and other cookery shows.

Great British Menu has raised her profile, though, and she confides discussions about future projects are currently underway with the BBC and other broadcasters. She has also written a documentary about modern British families along with only daughter Miquita.

Fitting in everything – she’s just left her “happy place” in her restaurant kitchen as we speak – is quite a challenge as it stands.

“I’m hyperactive and don’t sleep very much. I am managing to fit in an extraordinary amount of things into every 24 hours.

“It doesn’t leave time for very much else as I’m quite controlling, which is an issue. I’ve not seen that much of my daughter or my partner Garfield.

“With the restaurant and Great British Menus being new, it’s extreme at the moment. But I’m hoping it’ll settle down in the next month or two and I’ll get more of a work/life balance.”

Andi had an early taste of the hectic high life in the early 1980s when she pursued a pop career with pal Neneh Cherry in band Rip, Rig + Panic.

“We had such fun,” she adds. “What teenager wouldn’t want to spend their time running round the world with their mates in a band? I’m really proud of it.”

Great British Menu, BBC2, Mon-Wed, Fri.