Toast, anyone?

[Numberfour]

Nothing else on that I can see, and I don't particularly like Nigel Slater.... but so far the show seems very watchable.

The book reminded me of my own childhood so much it made me incredibly emotional. I wasn't too good at cooking though!

This was an absolutely fantastic adaptation, I wanted it to go on and on! It easily could have been 2 hours long IMO.

That young lad who played 9 year-old Slater is one to watch I think, he was brilliant!

I really enjoyed this, one of the best things on TV over xmas along with Upstairs downstairs..

I especially loved the scenes with his real mother and with his little friend at school. The mate was so funny '9 months later....hello...and out popped our Julie' lol

Did he really just leave the day his dad died I wonder though? everytime they say at the start of the show that some things have been 'dramatically enhanced' for TV I spend the whole time wondering whats real and whats not.

I loved the book but turned the TV off after 30 mins...Thought it was dire and overacted.

At the end of the TV adaptation when he goes to London, was that the real Nigel Slater who gave him his first kitchen job at the Savoy?

I noticed that too BikeRunSki :)

I loved that, when the real Nigel said to his younger self "You'll be fine". Got a bit teary at that.

Argh, missed that bit, remember reading that the real NS had a cameo role but forgot all about it last night!

not read the entire thread, cardinal sin I know, but i found it terribly disappointing and one dimensional and had been looking forward to it for ages.

ProfYaffle, yes that was the bit that really got me too, even DP was blubbing a bit and he engages in very dramatic eye-rolling whenever Nigel is on TV usually. I cried 3 times in total, which is about what I was expecting . Such a very sad unfair childhood. Thought it was beautifully acted and filmed.

I loved the book, but thought the programme skewed the emphasis of the book away from food and into his sexuality (typical). I also hated the yellow filter that it seemed to have been filmed through.
I'm now going back to the book the remind myself of how good it was.

Ive not read the book, so basing this only on the programme, but towards the end I almost felt sorry for HBC. the only way she felt she could make herself permanant in his family was by feeding everyone up. I rather enjoyed it though. and i dont think his dad was wilfully cruel, its just a man of his generation would have difficulty connecting emotionally with his son after the deatrh of his wife. processing his own grief as wel as his sons must have been tough.

feedme, I agree about moving the emphasis onto his sexuality. I don't remember him snogging any dishy young boys in the woods when I read the book! Nigel was heavily involved in the production though (and of course had a cameo) so I guess it was ok with him. Also planning a re-read..

I only saw the end of it, when the cooking competition was heating up between the pair of em.

How old is slater? Looked like this was set in teh 1950s.

And I found myself wondering why slater wants to push himself right out there into the public domain in such a personal way. I always thought he valued privacy. Maybe he just never got the fame break he thought he deserved. Maybe I'm being too cynical.

Ahh yes the walnut whips

Yes he did kiss the son of the owner in the woods in the book. I remember he said if this was what being one of them was like then he was let down (or something similar) so to see him asking the son not to leave him alone was a bit confusing? Maybe he'd remembered things he'd not added in the book? Or maybe he'd allowed it to be a tad embroidered?

I really enjoyed both the book and the film last night.

I didn't read the sexual stuff as abuse, merely sexual awakening. Maybe I'm horribly naive in that respect. Didn't recall the uncle bit though.

I thought the most poignant moment of the film was when he left his stepmother for the last time, his last words were 'thank you'. It was as if he recognised that although he hated her, he had learned skills from her that would equip him for later life. Also, the rivalry between the two meant that he had pushed himself to outperform her, developing fine cooking skills in the process.

HBC was billiant.

Yes, I was wondering if they were going to include the bit with the walnut whips!
The period detail was fantastic, especially all those dishes HBC kept taking out of the oven - like the pages of my mum's Mary Berry cookbook brough to life.
I was surprised that his sexuality was made that clear, as he is much more nebulous about it in the book and any other writing.
He didn't ever see his stepmother again IIRC - I don't think he left on the day his dad dided, but it wasn't long after - and who could blame him? Found the adaptation impressive - didn't realise the teenage Nigel was Charlie Bucket!

so it was set in the late 60s and then early to mid 70s. Just seemed earlier.

Yes I was born in '68 and it did seem earlier?

Thought that NS in his cameo looked as if he could really do with a bath. He often looks a bit grubby though.

Yes he did look a bit greasy but then again I suppose in a steamy kitchen you would? I'd bath him And cut his hair! I'm qualified to do that though.

Don't blame him, I love MPW mmmmmmmmmmm

:)

I was thinking about the moment at the end of Educating Rita, when Rita gives Frank a haircut - just wanted to get the kitchen scissors on him!

watched this a few hours ago - sobbing so much poor boy - have ordered the book from the library now