“The man in the kitchen”. Boulestin and Harben

‘Common Sense Slimming’ - How the contribution of Joan Robins, television’s ‘afternoon cook’, was not the perfect-fit for the culture of the BBC in the 1950s

“…Joan Robins played a significant role in the delivery and development of television cooking (and food related) programmes on British television between 1947 and 1956. However, her contemporaries and colleagues, Philip Harben and Marguerite Patten are not only more familiar names but have been the subject of academic interest (Charlesworth, 2022; Geddes, 2022; Moseley, 2008). Robins was a significant figure in the development of broadcasting aimed at ‘housewives’ despite not being one herself.…”

“…I add, therefore, to the work of Irwin (2013) looking at producer Doreen Stephens; Mosely (2008) and, more recently, Charlesworth (2022) who considered the contribution of Marguerite Patten. This research considers Robins’ role alongside these pioneering women, and the male presenters she appeared on screen with (see Geddes 2022).…”