In the pilot episode of Ready, Steady, Cook, Tim played the role of Aynsley Harriott. He cooked a prawn and pepperoni omelette, a ham sandwich, and a parsley cheesecake. Harriott himself was heard to remark that Tim was a more realistic Aynsley than Harriott himself. 'He's who I would have been if I'd had the choice', Harriott was quoted as saying.
Unfortunately, between the pilot and the commissioning of the first series, Tim developed an addiction to Hot Cross Buns. The producers felt they daren't risk him on stage, as he was liable to go 'ooh, look at me BUNNNNS' without warning which, although a noble catchphrase, was considered a little too 1950s for an early evening BBC2 show. As such, Aynsley Harriott found himself playing Aynsley Harriott, and Tim was left wondering what could have been.