Shilpa launches gourmet meals in U.K.

Actress Shilpa Shetty launches 'Shilpa's Gourmet Creations', a range of authentic meals, chutneys and pickles at a central London restaurant on Monday.

Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty has launched a range of readymade gourmet meals in the U.K.

The range ‘Shilpa’s Gourmet Creations’ will offer low fat chutneys, pickles and spices, the actress said on Monday.

Shilpa, who lives in Surrey with her fiancé, entrepreneur Raj Kundra, has acquired a 33 per cent stake in the V8 Gourmet Group, which will launch the readymade food range.

The range, which Shilpa will develop along with master chef Andy Verma, will hit the U.K. market next year.

“Product development will take about six to eight months,” Mr. Verma said.

Among others the range will also offer lamb, fish, chicken and vegetable dishes. The spice range will be organic.

Replying to questions, Shilpa, who appeared on Celebrity Big Brother in 2007 and was at the centre of a race row, said reality shows have been “overdone”.

“Reality TV has worked for a really long time — but, like all things in life, if it is overdone people are going to get bored of it and until another controversy, people are not going to be intrigued enough to watch it,” she said on poor ratings of the current series of Big Brother.

Shilpa added she had no regrets about appearing on the show and was happy she buried the hatchet with Jade before she died of cervical cancer earlier this year.

Jade famously dubbed Shilpa as “Shilpa Poppadom” when she was in the house.

Asked whether Poppadoms will be part of the range, Shilpa replied in the negative.

“Poppadoms do show we have a sense of humour, we intend on giving them out for free. I do hope they are not called Shilpa’s Poppadoms,” she quipped.