ITV1 has confirmed that chef Marco Pierre White is to appear in the third series of Hell's Kitchen, which returns as part of the channel's summer line up.

Described as the "Godfather of British cooking", White owns several successful London restaurants, and was the youngest chef to be awarded three Michelin stars at 33-years of age. He also trained many other now famous chefs, including Gordon Ramsay, who presented the first Hell's Kitchen.

White is known for his tough stance with customers and kitchen staff. Commenting on why he agreed to do the programme he told DS: "I am a person who loves my industry very much, and I don't like the way my industry is being portrayed on TV at this point in time. I think people are capitalising on it and not showing it for what it really is." He added that it was nice for his "boys", to "see the old man back in the kitchen." White has not cooked professionally for seven years.

White said: “I feel maybe for the first time in my life I’m ready for TV, for years and years I never did it. I sat down with lots of people many times in my life to talk about series’, and even when they (ITV) contacted me, I said ‘no’…but I sat down with them and they were very honest, very straight-forward, and you know, that was enough to make me do the job.”

“I think they’re proper people, trying to do proper shows,” he added.

Referring to the swearing used by other chefs on TV, White said: "The only time you should swear is when you can't think of another word."

White indicated that while he didn't watch chefs on television that often, he liked Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, saying: "He's convincing. He might not be the greatest chef on TV, but he inspires you to go and buy proper produce, and inspires you cook. He is the best, and he's a great representative for the world of food."

The show, which will see White training a group celebrities in his kitchen, will air over a two-week period in the summer. Commissioned by Layla Smith, ITV's controller of alternative programmes, it will be executive produced by Beth Hart and Katie Rawcliffe.