I watched the programme last night, and regardless of whether it was Jamie Oliver or any other chef, these people did not know one end of a vegetable from another or what boiling water looked like... you can't dress that up any other way.

Emily, Portsmouth,

Good on you Jamie - not that you will read this.. :)

Eating good food goes hand in hand with good health. Ppl often flounder when they realise it is THEY who can make a difference to their lives and not have to rely on some external power 2 do the work for them...easier to blame/persecute others..

Diane, Sydney, Australia

I agree with most of the comments on the message board, I feel that most of these parents wer not tauight how to cook, irespective of what the back ground of the individual is. Its far to easy to sit a child in front of the TV with fast food Junk. I hope Jamie shifts this nation inot eating better.

Julie Hodgson, Avis, Portugal

All Jamie has done here is touch a nerve, one that needed touching. There are far too many lazy, half-witted, irresponsible parents bringing up fat, lazy, malnourished children. The truth might hurt, but stop being numpties and listen to what he has to say. You might learn something.

Hugo, London,

As a northerner living down south, one of the biggest differences I have noticed between the regions is the attitude to food. Even middle class people up north visibly cringe when you start talking about "good food" - to them it's all just middle-class affectation. Good luck Jamie - you'll need it.

Jim, Maidstone,

If you watched it you would see that Julie Critchlow ciuld actually cook, and cooked for him and she agreed that part of the problem was that none of these people had been taught to cook. They weren't stupid! They were poor and busy but wanted to learn to cook real food for their families.

J, London,

It makes for good TV. People are talking about it and, surely, that was the ultimate aim! Whether the people featured were (implied / actually) "lower classes" is also irrelevant to the fact that any child fed on kebabs on a daily basis should be removed from it's mother to prevent further abuse.

Jo, Manchester, England

There is a clear ardent desire for people to express where they fit within the social spectrum! Jamie Oliver has tapped on the door of something that has plainly torn peoples self envoked vunerabilities surrounding their placing and the effect it has on their families fortunes. Rotherham= sore spot

James, Surrey, UK

Good on you Jamie... If people are so short sighted that they can't accept someone helping them save money and hopefully live longer by cooking for themselves, then they have only got their ignorance to blame. By the way, I'm a Yorkshireman and not too proud to accept advice from someone experienced

Paul Duncan, Oswestry, Shropshire

Should a councillor really be calling his constituents "down market"? The perception of "healthy" varies considerably. Many people who think think they eat healthily actually do not. I am from Yorks and I am always amazed at the difference in London. Whole Foods vs Wetherspoons, it is a no-brainer

Jackie, london,

I came from a working-class family, my mum was on benefits on and off over the years, but she always did home-made meals no matter how much money we did or didn't have! There really is no excuse. Jamie Oliver is trying to educate these lazy people and they don't like it, it's just tough.

Zoe, Liverpool, Great Britain

There is nothing wrong with the making of this programme, but when the main advert reads "Can a southerner teach a northern town how to cook" it comes across as rather patronising.

Focus on teaching ill nourished families how to cook, but not Northerners. He's asking for trouble!

Jamie, Halifax, W Yorks

I think what Jamie is doing is productive, like Nic said, its cheaper to buy healthy fresh food. The issue is that basic life skills, like cooking/ finanical planning aren't being taught to young adults and in turn their children. to fix this schools need to make sure all students learn these skils

mathew, Sydney, Australia

Keep going Jamie, you are a true inspiration. All this (possibly true to a degree) adverse criticism is a diversion to the real message you are painstakingly trying to convey. This is a blip to your objective which must be to try educate those who could benefit from your expert skill and experience

Jon, York,

Jamie Oliver is making millions out of these programs and i dont thing he will care who eats what.

P tyler, Mollina, Spain

Well done Jamie I say...keep going....I was brought up on 'proper food' and that's what I eat now ....and my kids too. It's what you start them on.
Best of British to you
Chris Canvey Island

Christine Hughes, Canvey Island, England

Let's give the guy some credit for trying to make a difference. His programmes have pushed forward the debate about food and health more than any government campaign has done. Please will someone give Natasha a lift to the supermarket so she can buy her fruit and veg.

Sarah, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey

I believe in what Jamie Oliver is trying to do. Please come to Hull-the population needs you!

People need to be taught to cook and to understand food is fuel for the body and brain.

GOOD ON YOU JAMIE

susan, fatties upon Hull, England

I wish people would put aside this mardy opressed attitude and try and address the problem themselves. I`m sure Jamie Oliver has best intentions at heart however most people are too busy forcing pies into there faces to recognise it!

Phil, Stuttgart, Germany

I was appalled that Jamie O has behaved in such a discourteous manner. I live in Rotherham in an environment where everyone cooks and no one swears like he does. What reason does he have for thinking he has to teach the entire Rotherham population to cook . Does he swear at his wife and daughters

julia kinsey, rotherham, england

I agree with Jamie it is easy to feed a family cheaply and still decent food. I know Ive been doing it for years I really do think the people who say they cant cook are lazy and use it as an excusenot to bother. I just dont know how they afford to eat takeaways there so expensive .

jacqueline, newcastle upon tyne, england

To say Oliver can't cook (Mike, Singapore), is just crass.

A family on benefits with a fridge full of junk food was, surely, the perfect target, as there's no excuse for it. I've lived on benefits for almost 25 years (I'm disabled), and eating well is no more expensive than eating rubbish.

Ron Graves, Birkenhead, UK

People find it all too easy to criticise sombody who is genuinely trying to make a difference in people's lives. I did not feel Jamie's show represented the people of Rotherham as 'numpties'. He showed great compassion and understanding towards the people on the show. He should be given credit.

Ben Knight, London, Uk

It annoys me how someone can moan about being on benefits and how she's not able to afford to feed her children healthily whilst standing there with a cigarette hanging out of her mouth! - can't be all that hard up. Lazy springs to mind.

Donna, Perth, Scotland

Go and have a look round Rotherham on a Saturday. The mums aren't in the market buying fruit and veg and fresh stuff to feed their kids. They are queueing outside Greggs to get steak bakes to give to kids less than two to shut them up. Then they can chat with their mates and smoke fags.

Dave , Rotherham,

I was born in a town in Yorkshire similar to Rotherham and watched the programme with interest. Its a pity the programme makers concentrated on the poorer aspect of the town. There are middle and upper classes in Yorkshire and the art of cookery has been forgotten throughout the social spectrum.

Simon, Bournemouth, England

I also wonder if there would have been such a backlash had the programme makers chosen Bournemouth, Chinnor or Dulwich instead of a Northern town. The phrase "Chip on your shoulder" springs to mind. ( I can say this being a Yorkshire man)

Simon, Bournemouth, England

an eight-hob gas cooker, unused, paid for from our taxes? nice. though, have any of you ever seen an eight-hob gas cooker? i've seen four - and electric ones with three or two. but eight?

Marco, Kraków, Poland

Jamie is just trying to help people out.and from what I saw they didnt seem "hostile" towards him at all.Maybe if they actually listened and realised he is only trying to help..they might not take everything he says/does as the gospil.Why are they all winging now.they did agree to do it.

nic, bristol,

i lived in Rotherham for a year in the early 90's and I can tell you that the food there is shocking. The take away currys were horrible, the kebabs even worse and take away Chinese shocking. chips and mushy peas weren't so bad. I even saw the local Pakistani kids eating it.

paddy, brisbane, australia

How is Jamie Oliver going to teach 8 people to cook when he doesn't know how to cook himself? Have you ever read one of his cookbooks (incineration instruction manuals would be a more accurate description)? He's just Keith Floyd without the booze.

Mike, Singapore,

what would be the point in jamie preaching to the converted?of course he's targeting people who either through poverty or ignorance don't or can't cook.The programme gives a chance for those on benefits or low incomes to speak about their lives and their difficulties ,which will teach jamie too

mandy stuart, edinburgh,

But the fact is there are people like all over the Country. Whether its Rotherham or Knightsbridge and as Oliver says himself, he would like this kiind of 'cooking education' to work all over the country. Sadly there are people who do only live on a diet of takeaways and this needs to change

C.Turner, Surrey, England

I'm a SINGLE mum of 4.I have a low income.We NEVER have take out.Instead my fridge is full of fruit and veg.My kids get fed really well.The girl on the program who was on a "low" income had JUNK in her fridge and the kids ate kebabs!! !! I filled up my trolley at somerfield for £55! It's not hard!!

nic, bristol,