If there's one thing Gordon Ramsay is renowned for, it's being a bit of a jerk. The 51-year-old chef and TV presenter has a notoriously short temper, a penchant for using the F-word, and very few qualms about insulting his fellow chefs or employees. In fact, if you make it through a whole episode of Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares and nobody's cried, there's obviously something wrong.
However, if you've ever seen him interacting with younger people, you'll know it's like watching a completely different person. He's much more patient, has better control of his temper, and actually seems to give out compliments and encouragement far more than he does negative criticism.
Basically, he'll do anything he can to make sure young contestants are having a good time - which is why he dressed up as an old woman during the latest season of MasterChef Junior.
In a sneak peek of the upcoming series, the Hell's Kitchen chef can be seen standing proudly on the set while wearing a frumpy cardigan and floor-length skirt.
Kitted out in a blonde wig, an ugly blouse, and even a bit of pink lipstick, Ramsay looked incredibly convincing as an older woman. Some of the kids even compared him to Robin Williams' classic drag performance, saying "You look like Mrs. Doubtfire!" This caused the usually-stoic chef to crack a huge smile, which made him look even more like a sweet old lady.
But Ramsay wasn't the only one to don a new look; his two co-hosts, Christina Tosi and Joe Bastianich, also made the effort to age themselves. Tosi looked surprisingly chic in a fitted blazer and coiffed wig, while Bastianich appeared to be totally miserable with his nun's outfit and walking stick.
But this wasn't the only transformation Ramsay has made recently. Over the past couple of years, the TV chef has lost a substantial amount of weight.
"I started focusing on getting super-fit five or six years ago when my life got super-busy," Ramsay said. "You get consumed by the work. You get sucked up. You get drawn in. All of a sudden your 'me time' is zero. There was no breathing space, no downtime, no time to even think straight. It all started hitting me hard. I didn't panic, but my head was not in the game."
One of his biggest motivators was the loss of his father, Gordon Ramsay Snr. He died at the age of 53, and so Ramsay is very conscious of the time he has left.
"That's only a couple of years' time," Ramsay said. "I've got this reminder to get fit, it's scary. I get the fear on a daily basis. I may have not got on with him, but I still miss him. I miss everything I could have had from him if he was still alive in his 70s."
So, despite his constant rants and rages, it seems that Ramsay has his heart in the right place. He does his best to live his life right for his kids, works hard to make sure the young people on his show retain their passion for cooking, and isn't afraid to carry an ugly handbag and wear a string of pearls if it makes people laugh. Plus, with all the drama that goes down on his shows, he could never be accused of being a drag.
