TV chef Hugh: 'I hate losing to Ramsay'

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has admitted that he does not like losing to fellow celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay.

The River Cottage presenter told Metro that the competitive streak he exhibits on his shows is genuine.

Fearnley-Whittingstall said: "Some of the directors I've worked with have worked out there might be some mileage in needling me a little bit, getting my competitive juices flowing.

"I don't mind taking a fall now and again, both literally and metaphorically. I don't always have to win as long as I've enjoyed playing the game. Obviously I don't like losing to Gordon Ramsay. Ever."

Of his reputation as an extreme eater, Fearnley-Whittingstall added: "In the early days I quite relished the idea of eating things that I knew would shock people, like squirrel and rook. These days I'm a bit more mellow than that. It's not really on my agenda.

"If I eat ox liver it's because I'm interested in what it tastes like. I've been branded the roadkill chef but there's not an episode of River Cottage in which I've eaten roadkill. The only bit I picked up I used to bait an eel trap."