Jamie Oliver is launching a new Channel 4 series about cooking with air fryers in an attempt to show they are about ‘so much more than nuggets and chips’.

The 48-year-old chef will cook grilled vegetables, a whole Keralan roast chicken, Baked Alaska and, pork belly and roasted pineapple with noodles in the devices.

Oliver, whose two part series will air later this spring, said he was initially ‘sceptical’ about air fryers but became ‘totally hooked’ after experimenting with them.

He added that it was ‘super-rare’ for an item of kitchen equipment to ‘revolutionise how people are choosing to cook in the way the air fryer has done’.

The programme, Jamie’s Air Fryer Meals, comes as the popularity of the devices has soared in recent years with nearly half of households now estimated to own one.

Jamie Oliver, pictured in a publicity photo for his Five Ingredient Meals show on C4 last year 

Air fryers have soared in popularity with nearly half of households now estimated to own one

Many families turned to air fryers during the pandemic and as a result of the energy price crisis, with manufacturers saying they are a lower-energy way of cooking.

Earlier this week, the devices were added to the Office for National Statistics basket of goods which is used to measure the rate of inflation for British households.

In a statement announcing the new Channel 4 show – which will be sponsored by Tefal, which makes air fryers – Oliver said: ‘It’s super-rare for a piece of kitchen kit to revolutionise how people are choosing to cook in the way the air fryer has done.

‘At first, I was sceptical, but as soon as I started to test and play around with ideas, settings and new ways to create flavour and texture, I was totally hooked.

‘In my mind, anything that gets people cooking is a win. And the fact that the air fryer uses less energy, saves time and creates much less washing-up – all while turning out delicious, nutritious food – can only be a good thing.

‘It’s a great solution for the modern family, where days are often hectic and decent meals are needed, fast.’

Oliver also cited the popularity of air fryer recipes he has been posting on his website since last year, saying they had been ‘a huge hit’ with more than 500,000 views.

Recipes on his website include cauliflower curry, oat cookies and bubble and squeak, reported the Daily Telegraph.

TV chef James Martin has said he doesn’t use an air fryer and they ‘should be banned’

Nigella Lawson used the gadget during her Christmas special last year, having previously admitted: ‘I know nothing of the world of air fryers’

TikTok influencer and Michelin-trained chef Poppy O’Toole will feature in the new documentary along with Sabrina Gidda, the author of Modern South Asian Cuisine.

Katie Millard of Jamie Oliver Productions said: ‘Working with our long-term partner, Tefal, Jamie was able to respond to the huge public demand for more air fryer recipes and loved every second developing the new recipes.

‘As this series will show, there is so much more to an air fryer than nuggets and chips.’

Air fryers have featured in as many as four documentaries on Channel 5 in recent months, including ‘Air Fryers vs Microwaves: Which Is Better?’, ‘Air Fryers: An Easy Way to Lose Weight?; and ‘Air Fryers: Do You Know What You’re Missing?’

Channel 4 also broadcast a documentary called ‘Air Fryers: Are They Worth It?’ featuring Denise van Outen last June.

And Nigella Lawson used the gadget during her Christmas special last year, having previously admitted: ‘I know nothing of the world of air fryers.’

But not everyone is convinced by the devices, with TV chef James Martin saying last November: ‘I don’t use an air fryer. In my opinion they should be banned.

Nadiya Hussain and Masterchef winner Simon Wood have also spoken out against air fryers

Speaking at the BBC Good Food Show in Birmingham, he added, to laughs from the audience: ‘I don’t even want to speak to anyone that has an air fryer.’

Restauranteur Simon Wood, who won Masterchef in 2015, has also criticised air fryers, saying on X last November: ‘Air fryers are simply bloody awful.

‘I’ve tried different ones with different things and every time it’s just rubbish. Cook properly, pans, oven, grill. Salt pepper butter and thyme.’

And Great British Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain told Virgin Radio last September that people need to ditch air fryers in favour of deep fat fryer.

She said at the time: ‘Lots of people are really scared of frying and we’ve got to move on. I get it, everyone’s all into the air fryers, but we’ve got to get into deep frying.’