jamie oliver

Returning to TV two stones lighter has only boosted Jamie Oliver’s sanctimonious gland if Jamie’s Super Food (Channel 4, 8pm, 15 September) was anything to go by.

Not content with waging war on villainous sugar, the chef is now on a mission to trim inches from the nation’s waistlines with this collection of low-calorie, high-nutrient meals inspired by his travels to the world’s healthiest communities.

And all credit to Oliver, the menu of pancakes and crispy bacon, fish tacos with a kiwi salsa, and chicken and sweet potato cacciatore sounded and looked delicious. I just wish he’d left his self-righteous streak at the kitchen door.

Each plate was served with a calorie counter, plus a five-minute clip of the chef learning the “secrets to a long life” at various spots around the globe.

Zipping from beach BBQs in Costa Rica to an OAP karate class in Japan, the Essex-born businessman covered thousands of miles (and grew increasingly sweaty) only to demonstrate the commonsense nutritional advice most of us have been aware of years. Eat fish, and add chunks of sweet potato to a stew were the only actual tips he had to offer.

Production costs would be slashed if he could simply stick to what he does best. Which is cooking up tasty family-friendly meals, simple enough to prepare that he shifts plenty of copies of the accompanying cookbook too.

Factor in health by all means, Jamie, but please don’t ruin a perfectly good recipe with an overgenerous serving of your latest political agenda.