Anxious wait over for TV contestants (From The Oxford Times)

Anxious wait over for TV contestants

6:00pm Thursday 9th February 2012 in Headlines

THE waiting was finally over for five Oxfordshire contestants who appeared on reality TV show Come Dine With Me.

The five shows featuring Oxfordshire residents began screening on Channel Four on Monday and the final two episodes will go out tonight and Friday.

Contestant Victoria Collett, of Grove, was so nervous about her appearance a friend had to watch it first.

Another, Heidi Kelloway, of Bicester, said it was “cringeworthy” and she watched it from behind her sofa.

The women appeared alongside Marlon Williams, of Oxford, James Hearle, from Shirburn, and Richard Barraclough, from Kirtlington.

Mrs Collett had earlier said she was worried how contestants would be portrayed. But last night she said: “It wasn’t as bad as I thought. A friend watch it and assured me it was okay.”

In the show five amateur chefs take turns to host a dinner party for the other contestants and each competitor scores the host’s performance, with the winner getting £1,000.

Ms Kelloway said: “There were a few comments made about me, but I thought it was a fun episode.

“When you go to do TV it’s not what you expect, it’s all a bit fixed, but it’s just a bit of fun.”