THE restaurant doors at Hell's Kitchen closed on Sunday, when the Chunky Chips Scouser was the viewers' - and Gordon Ramsay's - choice as the winner of the crazy culinary challenge.

Jennifer Ellison had entered the fray with the reputation of a blonde bimbo, who had trodden the well-worn path from a soap role to a brief sojourn in the world of pop music. She started off squealing at the prospect of killing a lobster and ended up making mincemeat of her rivals.

Following in the footsteps of the Queen of the Jungle Kerry McFadden, Jen proved that she who displays no game-playing tactics will usually win over the hearts of the viewing public.

The other two finalists, James Dreyfus and Matt Goss, were genuinely delighted for the Liverpudlian Munchkin, who had undoubtedly been a much better cook than both of them over the 14 days of the contest.

There were some moments to savour in the saga, which overcame a chaotic start to become fascinating viewing. Here are some of my favourites:

*The sight of Amanda Barrie playing the dotty ageing actress role with wild-eyed abandon - should they have really given her access to a set of kitchen knives?

*Almost every confrontation between Gordon and Edwina, but especially Ramsay's plea of 'Currie off the menu please', as Angus Deayton was about to reveal the result of the viewers' vote one evening.

*Gordon's dismissive reaction to Vic Reeves' infantile request for two fried eggs - no celebrity sycophancy there!

*Ramsay's obvious disdain for the presence of dubious 'VIPs' such as the cheating major in the restaurant - and his placing of a cough sweet as decoration on his dessert.

*The dignity with which suave Jean Phillipe dealt with Ramsay's putdowns - and the increasingly frequent beaming smiles that showed he knew it wasn't personal.

*Anthony Worrall-Thompson, Aldo Zilli and friend looking for things to criticise in their free meal, and being made to look like spiteful idiots as Ramsay pointed out to all within earshot that Michel Roux and Gary Rhodes had been complimentary about the food 'and they are real talented chefs'.

*The sight of a succession of attention-seeking Z-list celebrities running towards the cameras at the 'pass' area - and falling flat on their silly faces!

*And, best of all, the look on Al Murray's face when the public gave him the thumbs down for being a smug bore (it was only a fish pie, for goodness sake!) and voted him out in preference to annoying Edwina.

SOAP POSER:

LIKE many other soap fans, I am now on the verge of ditching EastEnders from my viewing schedule for good. I just don't care about any of the current storylines. Sulking Alfie and cow-faced Kat are irritating; the Fowler-Jackson wedding saga is based on a false premise - that the characters of Martin and Sonia would ever want to spend the rest of their lives together, and the Ferreiras are apparently staying. As for Big Mo pursuing Adi with the assertion that he reminds her of Omar Sharif (of 'Lawrence of Arabia' fame) - more like the camel, I'd say!

Meanwhile over in Corrie we have the return of Leanne Battersby to ruffle flirty Maria's feathers; frighteningly upwardly mobile Sally and her plans to drag Kevin and the girls along with her; wide boy Danny Baldwin bringing chaos into Sunita's life (possible pregnancy on the horizon), having just been reconciled with his wife; the continuing saga of Tracy Barlow and the McDonalds - with tarty Liz about to return, and scriptwriting par excellence. No contest!