What is Ainsley Harriott’s net worth and salary?
Ainsley Harriott is an English chef, television host, singer, and comedian who has a net worth of $4 million. Ainsley Harriott is known for hosting the BBC cooking game shows “Ready Steady Cook” and “Can’t Cook, Won’t Cook.” He has also hosted numerous television cooking specials, and was a contestant on the reality competition shows “Strictly Come Dancing” and “The Masked Singer.” Harriott is also a best-selling author, having sold over two millions copies of his cookbooks worldwide.
Early Life and Education
Ainsley Harriott was born on February 28, 1957 in London, England to Peppy and Chester. His father was a Jamaican-born pianist and singer who was one half of the variety act Harriott and Evans. Harriott was educated at Wandsworth School before he trained at Westminster Kingsway College.
Career Beginnings
Harriott was a singer before he became known as a chef. With his school friend Paul Boross, he formed the Calypso Twins, and released the successful song “World Party” in the early 1990s. The group performed regularly at the Comedy Store and Jongleurs in England, and also appeared on television and radio shows in the United States.
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Chef and Television Career
Harriott had his big break as a chef when he became the head chef at the Long Room of Lord’s Cricket Ground. In 1992, he became the resident chef on the daytime television program “Good Morning with Anne and Nick,” a role he held until 1996. Meanwhile, in late 1995, Harriott began hosting the BBC cooking game show “Can’t Cook, Won’t Cook,” which consisted of a cooking competition between one person who couldn’t cook and one who wouldn’t, both cooking under the instruction of a celebrity chef. The show ran until the summer of 2000. Harriott subsequently became the host of another BBC cooking game show, “Ready Steady Cook.” Taking over from Fern Britton, he hosted the show until 2010. Harriott also hosted the American version of the show, “Ready… Set… Cook!,” from 2000 to 2001 on the Food Network. Also on American television, he hosted the syndicated program “The Ainsley Harriott Show” in 2000.
Since 1997, Harriott has hosted numerous one-off television cooking specials, such as “Ainsley’s Barbecue Bible,” “Ainsley’s Big Cook Out,” “Ainsley Eats the Streets,” “Ainsley’s Fantastic Flavours,” and “Ainsley’s Taste of Malta.” Many of these specials corresponded with his various cookbooks over the years. Harriott also served as a guest chef on the ITV breakfast program “Lorraine,” and narrated the shows “The Best Dishes Ever” and “My World Kitchen.” In 2022, he co-hosted “Best of British By the Sea” with Grace Dent. Beyond the world of food, Harriott hosted the BBC medical documentary series “City Hospital” from 2005 to 2007. Later, in 2015, he was a contestant on the 13th season of the dance competition show “Strictly Come Dancing.” With his partner, professional dancer Natalie Lowe, he came in 12th place. Harriott returned to reality competition television in late 2023 as a contestant on the Christmas special of “The Masked Singer.” Performing as Partridge (in a Pear Tree), he won the show.
(Photo by Kirsty O’Connor- WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Other Endeavors
A best-selling author, Harriott has published several cookbooks since 1999, including “Ainsley Harriott’s Gourmet Express,” “Ainsley’s Ultimate Barbecue Bible,” “My Kitchen Table: 100 Meals in Minutes,” “Ainsley’s Mediterranean Cookbook,” and “Ainsley’s Good Mood Food.” He has sold over two million copies of his books worldwide. Harriott also has his own food line, which includes soups, couscous, risotto, and cereal bars.
In his other endeavors, Harriott served as president of the Television and Radio Industries Club from 2004 to 2005. In 2006, he made a guest appearance on the BBC Radio 4 comedy series “Giles Wemmbley-Hogg Goes Off. Later, in 2010, Harriott played the role of the Narrator in three different productions of “The Rocky Horror Show,” one in Cardiff, Wales and two in England.
Personal Life
In 1989, Harriott married Clare Fellows, the younger sister of actor and musician Graham Fellows. They had two children, and separated in late 2012.
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