Sunday Brunch presenter Simon Rimmer was forced to skip the Channel 4’s show’s first outing in 2025.
Instead, host Tim Lovejoy, XX, was joined by chef James Golding, who whipped up Simon’s squash salad in his honour.
Tim explained minutes into Sunday Brunch that Simon, XX, was absent as he was ill with a ‘dodgy tummy.’
He said: ‘Sadly, Simon Rimmer is a bit ill today. He’s got a bit of a dodgy tummy, so he says.’
Gesturing knocking back alcohol, Tim jokingly continued: ‘If you saw him out last night let us know.’
Yesterday, Simon reposted Sunday Brunch’s Instagram post announcing the show’s return in the New Year.
It read: ‘We’re back tomorrow with our first show of 2025✨at our 🚨NEW START TIME OF 10am🚨⭐️📣 See you there🥂🎤.’
Guests on today’s Sunday Brunch included Ella Maisy Purvis, Gwilym Lee, Lou Sanders, Carrie Hope Fletcher and Dr Rangan Chatterjee.
Simon had a difficult end to 2024 after two of his restaurants vegetarian joint Greens and its sister Sale, both in Manchester, shut.
In December, it was then revealed his collapsed restaurant chain owes more than £500,000 to creditors.
In a document filed by administrator Begbies Traynor with Companies House, it show sthe most debt is owed to HMRC, with an estimated £458,873 in unpaid VAT and PAYE.
Meanwhile trade creditors are owed an estimated £75,000, while consumer creditors, who paid for restaurant vouchers and gift cards, are missing around £35,790.
The Royal Bank of Scotland is also owed an estimated £13,164.
Following the closure of his second restaurant, Simon said it was a ‘heartbreaking’ development.
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News he said the chain was the ‘cornerstone of his life’ and making the decision to close it was the hardest he’d ever made in his business career.
After initially studying fashion and textile design Simon later taught himself to cook before opening Greens 34 years ago.
His TV career began with Granada Breeze before other appearances came on This Morning and The One Show, before hosting Something for the Weekend with Tim Lovejoy between 2006 and 2012.
The year that series ended, they moved to Channel 4 to present Sunday Brunch.
He’s also featured on Great British Menu, Celebrity Mastermind and Strictly Come Dancing.
Sunday Brunch airs Sundays from 10am on Channel 4.
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