HUMOR, HEAT, HIGH STAKES AND MYSTERY ARE THE WINNING INGREDIENTS IN TBS’ NEW COOKING COMPETITION SERIES
“RAT IN THE KITCHEN”
HOSTED BY COMEDIAN NATASHA LEGGERO
& JUDGED BY CELEBRITY CHEF LUDO LEFEBVRE

Series Produced by Thinkfactory Media in Association with ITV Studios’ Possessed

Natasha Leggero – Photographer: Elisabeth Caren

Chef Ludo Lefebvre – Photographer: Lionel Deluy

LOS ANGELES (January 27, 2021) – TBS< announced today that it has greenlit “Rat in the Kitchen” (10 hour-long episodes), a first-time food format for the network where competition cooking meets whodunnit.  Hosted by “Another Period” star, comedian Natasha Leggero and judged by renowned celebrity chef Ludo Lefebvre, each stand-alone episode of the new unscripted series brings six different dynamic chefs together to compete in the ultimate cooking battle. But there’s a twist -- one of the chefs is an undercover ‘rat in the kitchen’ who sabotages fellow contestants’ chances to take home the ultimate cash prize at every opportunity. The series is produced for TBS by ITV America’s Thinkfactory Media and was devised by Glenn Hugill and his UK-based prodco Possessed, part of ITV Studios.

“Rat in the Kitchen” is by far one of the most clever formats we’ve ever heard,” said Corie Henson, EVP/Head of Unscripted Development, TNT, TBS, truTV. “It combines innovative cooking and everything you love about your favorite food shows, with a healthy serving of classic true crime whodunnit.  Plus, Natasha and Ludo are the perfect recipe for a good time.”

Said Thinkfactory CEO Adam Reed, “As a company with a history and ongoing focus on loud formats, ‘Rat’ checks all of the boxes for us. The series blends familiar elements from different beloved unscripted genres to create something wildly unique and fresh, yet simple and straightforward. With Natasha and Ludo at its center and vibrant personalities competing throughout, episodes will have viewers laughing, drooling over enticing dishes and cringing at the chefs’ glorious failures – all while obsessing over finding the ‘rat.’”

“Rat in the Kitchen” combines culinary craziness with subterfuge. Featuring the charismatic duo, host and comedian Natasha Leggero and celebrity chef judge, Ludo Lefebvre, “Rat in the Kitchen” is far more than a traditional cooking show – it’s a game of high stakes cat and mouse where viewers get to play detective. In each episode, a mix of professional chefs and passionate home cooks compete in a series of creative cooking challenges, earning cash in their bank for every dish that impresses Chef Ludo. But they’ll have to avert the meddling of an undercover mole (the “rat”) determined to sabotage the dishes and undermine their chances at victory. The stakes: if the rat avoids detection, he/she wins big money. But, if found out, the rat will have to hunt for cheddar elsewhere.

“Rat in the Kitchen” is executive produced by Adam Reed, Adam Freeman, Simon Thomas, Bernie Schaeffer and Kenny Rosen for ITV America’s Thinkfactory Media, and by Glenn Hugill for Possessed. It is distributed internationally by ITV Studios.
 

About TBS
TBS, a WarnerMedia brand, is a top-rated destination for television among young adults and known for escapist, lean-back entertainment, featuring smart, imaginative stories with heart and comedic edge. From scripted comedy series to late-night shows, game shows, and animated programming, TBS’ Originals slate is comprised of some of the most popular shows on cable — “Miracle Workers,” “CONAN,” “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee,” “The Last O.G.” and “American Dad!,” as well as the upcoming comedy “Chad.” The network’s slate of premium unscripted series includes the popular game show “The Misery Index,” upcoming reality-competition series “Go-Big Show” and “The Cube” and the revival of fan-favorite “Wipeout.” TBS’ lineup also includes comedy hits like “Family Guy” and “The Big Bang Theory,” classic sitcom favorites “Friends” and “Seinfeld,” blockbuster movies, and live event coverage of Major League Baseball, the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship and “ELEAGUE,” WarnerMedia’s eSports gaming competition. Viewers can watch shows on the TBS app, available for iOS, Android, Xbox One and other platforms and devices. Website: www.tbs.com 

About WarnerMedia
WarnerMedia is a leading media and entertainment company that creates and distributes premium and popular content from a diverse array of talented storytellers and journalists to global audiences through its consumer brands including: HBO, HBO Max, Warner Bros., TNT, TBS, truTV, CNN, DC Entertainment, New Line, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Turner Classic Movies and others, as well as Xandr’s suite of advanced advertising solutions designed to help to improve advertising for brands, publishers, and consumers.

About Thinkfactory Media
Thinkfactory Media, an ITV America company, creates high-quality content for an array of television networks, streaming and digital platforms. Run by CEO Adam Reed and based in Los Angeles, Thinkfactory is revered for its breadth of long-running unscripted franchises. In addition to TBS’s Rat in the Kitchen, series and event specials include: A&E’s Nature Gone Wild and What’s it Worth?, hosted by comedy legend Jeff Foxworthy; WE tv’s Marriage Boot Campempire, encompassing flagship “Reality Stars,” as well as “Family Edition” and “Hip Hop Edition;” Lifetime’s Happily Ever Altered; mega-hits Mama June: From Not to Hot and Million Dollar Matchmaker, also for WE tv; Gene Simmons Family Jewels, Dog and Beth: Fight of Their Lives and Rookies for A&E; Dogg After Dark, starring Snoop Dogg, for MTV; TV One’s Divas franchise, including Hollywood Divas, R&B Divas: Atlanta and R&B Divas: Los Angeles; Dead of Winter: The Donner Party for The Weather Channel; Married by Mom & Dad and Strange Love for TLC; and Spell-Mageddon for ABC Family, among many others. Thinkfactory has also produced an array of award-winning scripted series, including HISTORY’s Emmy® and Golden Globe®-winning mini-series Hatfields & McCoys, starring Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton.

About Possessed 
Possessed, part of ITV Studios, is the creative force behind returning hit formats and primetime shows 5 Gold Rings for ITV and BBC One’s Catchpoint, the physical quiz show (co-produced with fellow ITV Studios label, 12 Yard). Both shows have gone on to be acquired by overseas broadcasters, with 5 Gold Rings having been sold in ten territories, both in primetime and daytime, and Catchpoint moving fast internationally with commissions in Greece and Hungary and more soon to be announced.

Other hits include three seasons of ITV’s super tactical game show Cash Trapped with Bradley Walsh and The Switch, which launched above the slot average when it first aired on ITV last year, while BBC One has just commissioned two series of the brand new quiz show, Unbeatable. Possessed has also had further international success with game show Keep It Spotless, produced by ITV America label, ITV Entertainment, for Nickelodeon and comedy panel show Cram, an ITV Studios Australia production for Channel 10.