While rarely high-rated, cooking shows have been a popular staple of daytime TV programming since the earliest days of television. They are generally very inexpensive to produce, making them a cheap and easy way for a TV station to fill a half-hour (or sometimes 60 minute) TV episode.
A number of cooking shows have run for many seasons, especially when they are sponsored by local TV stations or by public broadcasting. The more popular cooking shows have had flamboyant hosts whose unique personalities have made them into celebrities.
Famous cooking shows include: