The Unexpected Show Gordon Ramsay Wants To Star On (It's Not About Cooking)

Beyond just being one of the chefs with the most Michelin stars in history, Gordon Ramsay is also one of only a handful of chefs-turned-celebrities recognized across the globe. For this reason, it's no surprise that Ramsay has aspirations beyond just continuing to host his food-related shows like "MasterChef" and "Hell's Kitchen" — the latter of which is filmed in extreme conditions. However, what many are likely surprised to hear is just how willing Ramsay is to appear on "Dancing with the Stars," a show he publicly stated he'd be honored to give a shot if time permitted him to do so.

Ramsay revealed his interest in "Dancing with the Stars" in 2023 during a discussion on "The Late Late Show with James Corden." The topic came up after he was asked about his daughter, Tilly Ramsay, who appeared on the U.K. equivalent of the popular show, "Strictly Come Dancing" on BBC. Ramsay explained that both shows' concept is something he imagines would be incredibly fulfilling. "I would love to learn how to dance," Ramsay admitted. "The show's amazing, right? It's just incredible the way they transform into these prolific dancers."

Now, while Gordon Ramsay was clearly interested in the prospect of appearing on the popular dancing competition show, he was also quick to note a few reasons why it would be hard to do so. For starters, some of the prerequisites expected out of a "Dancing with the Stars" contestant would likely be even worse for the chef to endure. Mere mention of "the tanning, the sequins, and the Lycra" on James Corden's show made Ramsay audibly groan. Otherwise, given the fact that Ramsay runs over 80 restaurants across the globe, continues to star in several food-related TV shows, and recently released a Netflix docuseries entitled "Being Gordon Ramsay," one has to assume the chef would have a hard time fitting an entire season of "DWTS" into his schedule.

However, likely the biggest hindrance for Ramsay to go on the show is his age. Aging can prove to be the enemy of anyone new to intense dance training, and Ramsay feared that his window of time to potentially appear on the show was growing thin. "I would love to do it before I get too old, just so I can move properly without needing a hip replacement after the first dance!" Ramsay told Corden. Considering the beloved celebrity chef was 56 at the time of the interview, he might already believe that the years had passed him by. However, there is a long history of competitors well over the age of 60 appearing on "Dancing with the Stars" throughout the show's 30-plus seasons, so maybe a mirrorball remains in the British chef's sights moving forward.