A scathing review of Channel 4's Sunday Brunch, criticizing its lackluster format, inept presenting, and repetitive guest lineup.
Sunday morning TV is for cosy company; for anything-but-silence to drown out that thumping headache or the realisation that this is your last day of freedom before another working week. It’s no place for primetime dramas or award-winning thrills. If I switch on the TV on this sacred day, I want gentle, undemanding background noise that’s vaguely enjoyable and not in the slightest bit hard to follow.
And yet, somehow, it’s the Sunday breakfast show that’s dominated Channel 4’s weekend schedule for 13 years, where Tim Lovejoy interacts with many, many guests and chef Simon Rimmer makes them all various dishes in the kitchen. It’s live, a whopping three hours long – and a total shambles. I first flicked it on over breakfast a few months ago – part of my I-get-excited-shopping-for-placemats-now cosy era – and for a brief moment, I found its rudderless and ambling pace sort of charming, or at the very least funny. I laughed out loud at the bizarre vibe they routinely manage to impose on their wild array of guests.That feeling didn’t last. Now, I just find it insulting that they’re taking a primetime slot away from other broadcasters – and that Channel 4 really thinks this is the best we viewers deserve. Sure, I could just switch channels, but we all need an easygoing breakfast show on a Sunday – just not this one. From the guest problems to downright appalling presenting, this show is oh so stale – and not just because it’s oh so male. Maybe I could get on board with the lazy casting of two middle-aged white blokes if they were good at their jobs. But they’re not.Tim Lovejoy consistently stumbles over his words – the episode before last must’ve broken a new record for this, given it happened in the first two seconds. I wince as he struggles through reading his autocue. Presenting is Lovejoy’s only job, yet the show’s chef is better than him. Rimmer is constantly bringing the interviews back on topic, or saving Lovejoy, like this weekend’s blunder of going too far down a Los Angeles fires avenue of conversation, which all started when Lovejoy remarked on things being, um, “not great there at the moment” to a guest from LA. He cuts guests off, as if bored by their stories, and routinely interrupts them to ask some inane, unrelated question that stops any form of real conversation. “Do you like ?” is a favourite of his.He never seems to know anything about the guests, either, as if he hasn’t even read his questions. During my childhood, I used to watch a show with my dad (how Lovejoy’s TV career managed to survive the peak Noughties lad culture of the ‘soccerettes’ segment is a conversation for another day). But this is a very basic show concept and he just isn’t up to scratch.The show has around eight guests (but there really seems no limit), from comedians to actors, including at least one performing musician, all squished together on one long table from start to finish. This is far too many for any interviewer, let alone two culturally out-of-touch men. Sometimes they don’t even get round to them all because they’ve been muddling along with such little structure. There are also food-related guests who don’t get to sit down, and are invariably rushed through their small segments. Imagine sitting through a whole three hours of directionless drivel and not being able to get out your PR spiel about your new book.Sure, a good guest can save the show, too – Bob Mortimer or James Acaster are failsafes to pick up the mood – but inviting the same guests back again and again is not a solution. JLS’s Marvin Hulmes even made his fifth appearance in 2024 (though I can’t imagine what for). Back in 2017, when he was just breaking out of underground grime status with his debut album. He was brilliant, but… There’s just a weird vibe across the whole set. It’s like a very awkward dinner party that no one quite knows why they’re at. It’s always a strange mix of personalities and statuses, too – and there’s no Graham Norton to make it work. The guests look uncomfortable or just plain bored, and the presenters don’t ever seem to try to make them feel otherwise. Crucially, they’re joined by just one celebrity guest usually, alongside a few chefs leading the cooking. Host Matt Tebutt is in control, even when he’s ad-libbing about his guest cooking something incorrectly. He has a laugh with drinks experts Helen McGinn and Olly Smith, while also seeming like he knows what he’s talking about – and what’s coming next. Even replacing longtime presenter James Martin with Tebutt in 2016 didn’t ruin the show’s magic… just saying.As for how Lovejoy and Rimmer originally bagged this prime slot, Sunday Brunch launched on Channel 4 in March 2012 to replace the BBC’s Breakfast after its cancellation due to budget cuts, with the same presenters (bar Louise Redknapp and Amanda Hamilton) and production team. To make space for it, the Channel 4 show Sunday Morning, (presented by Matt Edmondson, Nick Grimshaw, and Jameela Jamil at the time) was booted to E4 – and axed entirely later that year
Television Review Sunday Brunch Channel 4 Tim Lovejoy Simon Rimmer Breakfast Show
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Sunday Brunch Star and Michelin Chef Partner to Close Restaurant after 2 YearsThe news comes after the popular TV duo confirmed their restaurant will be closing. The article also details the history of the Sunday Brunch show, including its evolution from a two-hour program to a three-hour show with various spin-offs.
Read more »
Simon Rimmer Misses Sunday Brunch Return Due to IllnessTV presenter Simon Rimmer was absent from the first episode of Sunday Brunch in 2025 due to a stomach bug. Host Tim Lovejoy explained Rimmer's absence, jokingly suggesting viewers let them know if they saw him out the previous night. Chef James Golding stepped in to prepare Rimmer's signature squash salad in his honor.
Read more »
Sunday Brunch Presenter Simon Rimmer Takes Sick LeaveSimon Rimmer, one of the presenters for the popular Channel 4 show Sunday Brunch, was absent from the show due to illness. Tim Lovejoy, his co-presenter, informed viewers about Rimmer's absence and joked about the circumstances. Fans expressed well wishes for Rimmer's recovery on social media.
Read more »
Ariana Grande, Selena Gomez and Jennifer Lopez Stun at Variety's Creative Impact Awards BrunchPop superstars Ariana Grande, Selena Gomez, and Jennifer Lopez turned heads at Variety's Creative Impact Awards and 10 Directors To Watch Brunch in Palm Springs.
Read more »
Demi Moore and Mikey Madison Shine at 2025 Spirit Awards Nominees BrunchDemi Moore and Mikey Madison stole the show at the 2025 Spirit Awards Nominees Brunch in Los Angeles, showcasing their impeccable style alongside other Hollywood stars.
Read more »
Demi Moore and Mikey Madison Lead Stars at 2025 Spirit Awards Nominees BrunchDemi Moore and Mikey Madison were among the stars attending the 2025 Spirit Awards Nominees Brunch in Los Angeles. Mikey Madison turned heads in an elegant black dress, while Demi Moore opted for a navy dress with nautical touches. The event saw reunions for cast members of successful films like 'Anora' and 'The Substance'.
Read more »