Hotel GB: the Twitter reaction

Last night saw the inaugural episode of Channel 4’s latest reality juggernaut, Hotel GB – a mish-mash of the station’s famous faces drafted in to “do their bit” for unemployment. The premise is mildly baffling. Handpick nine celebs to run a London hotel, put them in charge of a team of raw recruits, train said guinea pigs up in next-to-no time and, if they perform well, offer them a long-desired job at the end of a week. Put simply – the world’s toughest job interview.

But when you get the likes of Gordon Ramsay, Gok Wan, Mary Portas and Kim Woodburn together for an hour and 40 minutes of concentrated footage, you are guaranteed to elicit an opinionated response – and what better forum than Twitter?

First up is TV presenter Tim Lovejoy, whose Twitter bombardment suggests he made an appearance last night in Channel 4’s palatial residence. The reviews were mixed: first this…

Interesting clientele in the @C4HotelGB. Reminds me of a night out in Huddersfield I had once. pic.twitter.com/ernQ45nK

— Tim Lovejoy (@timlovejoy) October 1, 2012

Looks like a wild night out. Although we would have liked to be party to this conversation:

This is a great night out #HotelGB #TeamGordon pic.twitter.com/0JRglbKU

— Tim Lovejoy (@timlovejoy) October 1, 2012

Celebrating or commiserating? Well, judging by some of these reviews those heads may be hanging in shame. Nicholas Pegg isn’t a particular fan of the premise:

A hotel run by Gordon Ramsay, Kirstie Allsopp, Gok Wan and Mary Portas? Dear lord, is there a bargepole long enough?

— Nicholas Pegg (@NicholasPegg) October 1, 2012

While Kevin O’Sullivan’s dog emerges as one of the show’s (many) critics…

Five minutes into Hotel GB my dog has fallen into a deep sleep. Everyone's a critic!

— Kevin O'Sullivan (@TVKev) October 1, 2012

The celeb tweeters were doing all they could to attract the attention of the Twittersphere. Gok Wan was his usual immaculate self:

Hair flicked, face shaved, enough perfume to sink a ship… Guess I'm ready for my shift at #HotelGB see you all at 9pm c4 x

— Gok Wan MBE ???? (@therealgokwan) October 1, 2012

While Gordon Ramsay cranked up the tension…

Dummy run – this is going to get interesting!! #HotelGB

— Gordon Ramsay (@GordonRamsay) October 1, 2012

As the foul-mouthed chef let rip on his Maitre d’ – a fraught Phil Spencer – his Location, Location, Location partner in crime (and Hotel GB co-star) Kirstie Allsopp came to his rescue:

Phil is not cocking up, Gordon just being an arse #HotelGB pic.twitter.com/OKv20G1d

— Kirstie Allsopp (@KirstieMAllsopp) October 1, 2012

While the bewildered headwaiter shared his thoughts…

Someone just said to me it was funny to see TV presenters actually doing some work! Wasn't sure whether to take offence or not…

— Phil Spencer (@PhilSpencerTV) October 1, 2012

His tormentor – co-general manager Gordon Ramsay – received some backlash for his acid-tongued supervision of the Hotel GB kitchen:

No one seems actually to like Gordon Ramsay. Weird that he keeps getting so much work. #HotelGB

— Bad Monkey (@Bad__Monkey) October 1, 2012

Not to mention his arrogant style, flagged up by @SaskiaCourtenay…

I'd love to see Gordon Ramsay out of his comfort zone for once. Phil S and Mary P have parked their egos. Change the record GR. #hotelGB

— @sassycsays (@SaskiaCourtenay) October 1, 2012

Gordon’s team rival, Mary “Queen of Shops” Portas, garnered comparatively positive reviews for her management skills. Radio 1 DJ Sara Cox tweeted:

I'm loving the @C4HotelGB trainees already. And @maryportas monochrome look. #teammary

— sara cox (@sarajcox) October 1, 2012

While Jo Williams was full of praise for her training methods and treatment of her newly-employed subordinates:

Mary Portas wins hands down in how to inspire and manage new recruits, Gordon Ramsay needs to take note #HotelGB

— Jo Williams (@jo_williams25) October 1, 2012

But the woman known to Britain as a savvy fashionista may have bristled at comparisons to a certain bald, bespectacled TV presenter…

Is that a Harry Hill fancy dress kit Mary Portas is wearing? #HotelGB

— Anna Lee (@AJL1985) October 1, 2012

Head of housekeeping Kim Woodburn prompted an aghast reaction from tweeters when she climbed atop hotel manager of health and wellbeing, Dr Christian Jessen. Jenny Dixon wondered whether Channel 4 had lost the plot…

Lord, awful cleaning lady has just mounted that tv doctor! Does @c4hotelgb plan on ending with world’s 1st televised employment tribunal?

— Jenny Dixon (@MrsJRD) October 2, 2012

And Sara Cox promoted the thoughts of the nation.

My eyes! Kim PUT @DoctorChristian DOWN #HotelGB #teammary

— sara cox (@sarajcox) October 1, 2012

Inedeed, no one wants to see that… Lewis Watson made a logical assumption:

Kim Woodburn is the most bizarre woman on TV. Think her Croydon Facelift has cut the oxygen supply to her brain. @maryportas #HotelGB

— Lewis Watson (@lewishhh_) October 1, 2012

Meanwhile Take Me Out’s Paddy McGuinness landed Hotel GB’s presenting gig – although his pronunciation skills sparked a big Twitter debate.

Any fans eagerly awaiting the appearance of Britain’s number one tennis player were bitterly disappointed. Instead we had Gok Wan – expert in assessing the nation’s fat bulges and knocking together tasty dishes, but could he be trusted behind the Hotel GB bar? His “goktails” generated a degree of Twitter excitement…

I WANT A GOKTAIL #HotelGB

— Emily Blake (@MissEmilyBlake) October 1, 2012

But Gok’s appearance wasn’t greeted with unanimous plaudits. Ben Rex Furneaux was particularly incensed:

Awful. The worst kind of TV. Seeing Gok Wan talk down to someone because they tried to be more efficient made me want to drop kick my TV.

— Ben (@benfurneaux) October 1, 2012

While Ryan Hunter made a decent suggestion…

And Gok Wan as a bar manager? He's portrayed to have authority? It's like C4 had a few months left on talent contracts and came up with this

— Ryan Hunter (@RyanHunterUK) October 1, 2012

But amidst the deluge of criticism emerged Katie Piper – the model and former beautician who suffered permanent scarring from an acid attack. The appointed head of the hotel spa inspired a wave of Twitter goodwill, including Andrew Breading’s offering:

Katie Piper is a true role model and someone to genuinely aspire to be like. #hotelGB

— Andrew ???????? #StayAtHome (@abwales4) October 1, 2012

While Matt Blakemore went a step further…

I absolutely adore Katie Piper with every fibre of my being #HotelGB

— Matt Blakemore (@MattBlakemore) October 1, 2012

But her many fans were not enough to save Channel 4’s latest project from the Twitter backlash. Adam Pryor’s final analysis doesn’t beat around the bush:

I hate Mary Portas, Phil Spencer, Kirstie Allsop and Gok Wan. Possibly the worst hotel in GB #HotelGB

— Adam Pryor (@ADAMPRYOR85) October 1, 2012

But let’s end with the wise words of Matthew Drinkwater…

After #hotelgb I do hope people don't think you can wear a snoopy watch, drop champ on guests, talk like a fool and get a 1k tip. Great!!

— Matt Drinkwater (@matt_drink21) October 2, 2012

Wise words indeed.