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Lisa Faulkner and John Torode suffer new blow as ITV show Weekend Kitchen rested

EXCLUSIVE: The husband and wife team were last on air with their cookalong show in 2025 - but Torode is still seen as 'part of ITV family'

[John and Lisa]

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John and Lisa's regular weekend show has been paused for now by ITV

ITVs long-running cookery series Weekend Kitchen has been put on ice for 2026 following John Torodes sacking from BBC1s MasterChef last year.

News that the Sunday show, which has run for 10 series, will not air at all this year and possibly beyond, comes amid ITV budget cuts and just days after Torodes wife Lisa Faulkner announced she'd had treatment for the early stages of breast cancer.

But the couple remain hopeful that Weekend Kitchen will yet get a revival on ITV - because bosses have stood by Torode despite his abrupt departure from MasterChef over his use of racist language.

[Lisa Faulkner]

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Lisa has had a difficult few weeks but has now had the all clear from doctors(Image: @lisafaulknercooks/Instagram)

[Lisa Faulkner ]

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The presenter urged older women to have their regular mammograms (Image: @lisafaulknercooks/Instagram)

The Aussie, 60, has appeared on This Mornings cookery slot 11 times this year, and is scheduled to return later this month.

One insider said: John remains a regular contributor to This Morning, where he has been fully supported by everyone, including hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley. The truth is there are no current plans for series 11 of Weekend Kitchen but no final decision has yet been made over whether it will return in the future. And John is very much a part of the ITV family through his role as a regular chef on This Morning.

Sources suggested it was quite normal for weekend daytime formats to be rested in order to try out new programming, even though this has not happened before for Weekend Kitchen, which launched in 2019 and is a staple of the channels weekend programming. Conversations are happening, it could be back in some form or another, one added.

[John and Gregg]

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John and Gregg were dropped from MasterChef last year after an investigation into complaints spanning two decades(Image: Adam Gerrard / Daily Mirror)

Last year the shows tenth series launched in early July, with five more programmes airing in the run-up to Christmas. Announcing it, the pair said they felt so grateful to make it, adding: We have such an amazing team who give us so much freedom to just cook together and its always the food we love and believe in. We never take it for granted as we just love doing our show.

ITV is having to make difficult decisions amid budget cuts which have already affected the soaps and other daytime shows including Lorraine, Good Morning Britain and Loose Women. Bosses have stood by Torode since he was sacked after 20 years from the BBC programme alongside Gregg Wallace, who was being investigated for inappropriate behaviour.

At the time ITVs media and entertainment managing director Kevin Lygo said there was no desire to pull Weekend Kitchen, which had already been recorded, because of the BBC investigation. "It felt it was a bit much for us to jump on the bandwagon and just deny these shows to go out, he explained.

After the scandal, Torode made his first appearance back on This Morning in January, returned again in February, and has since appeared two or three times a month across the spring and summer.

He was axed from MasterChef following allegations he had used racist language in 2018. This was brought to light as part of a wider investigation into claims of sexual harassment and misuse of power against Wallace, who was also sacked. Torode was last seen on the pre-recorded MasterChef: Champion of Champions in December.

Torode has said he has "no recollection" of using racist language and it has been suggested he was joining in with a Kanye West song lyric. However, in a statement, the BBC said: "This allegation - which involves an extremely offensive racist term being used in the workplace - was investigated and substantiated by the independent investigation led by the law firm Lewis Silkin.

"The BBC takes this upheld finding extremely seriously. We will not tolerate racist language of any kind and we told Banijay UK, the makers of MasterChef, that action must be taken. John Torode's contract on MasterChef will not be renewed."

John and Lisa, who got together after she won Celebrity MasterChef in 2010 and married in 2019, have since launched a YouTube channel where they film themselves cooking recipes at home for fans who want to continue with their cookalongs.

ITV intends to try out new formats in the Sunday morning slot, and Ainsley Harriott is making a third run of his Fantastic Flavours series. Featuring food from around the world, he is joined every episode by a celebrity guest.

This week Lisa, 54, revealed she has undergone treatment for breast cancer which had been caught early thanks to a routine mammogram. In a social media video, she explained shed had surgery in June and has since had the all clear from doctors. "It was quite a big op, but its all good, and Ive had my results back, and theyve got everything out, and so its all clear, and I just need now to have some radiotherapy in a few weeks, she said. "Ive still got quite a bit of healing to do, but Im good, Im well, and feeling so much better.

The actress and presenter urged others to go for check-ups, adding that if she had not gone for her breast screening, the cancer would not have been picked up.

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