Studio Ramsay drops staff from development team as US, UK markets shrink

Studio Ramsay made Gordon Ramsay’s Bank Balance for BBC One

Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay’s production company Studio Ramsay has cut back its development team, reportedly letting six people go including creative director of development Shona Baldwin.

The news was first reported by Popbitch and confirmed by UK trade publication Broadcast. Studio Ramsay did not respond to C21’s request for comment.

The London-, Glasgow- and LA-based outfit is the latest TV company to reduce its headcount as the UK and US industries contract amid a commissioning slowdown.

Fremantle, for example, has recently made major changes to its UK operation resulting in lay-offs at prodcos Euston Films and Undeniable and the closure of factual indie Label1, while Banijay and All3Media have also recently closed prodcos.

In the UK, Studio Ramsay has been behind Gordon, Gino & Fred’s Road Trip on ITV; Gordon Ramsay’s Bank Balance on BBC One; ITV Culinary Genius, The Savoy and Gordon on Cocaine, plus children’s series Matilda & the Ramsay Bunch on CBBC.

In the US, Ramsay hosts and executive produces Fox shows such as Next Level Chef, Hell’s Kitchen, MasterChef, MasterChef Junior, Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars and Kitchen Nightmares.

Studio Ramsay Global, the transatlantic joint venture between Ramsay and Fox Entertainment, recently made a US$100m investment in kitchenware brand HexClad and launched food brand and entertainment platform Bite.