Dr Julia Wrathall, head of farm animals at the RSPCA, said the charity would have significant concerns over horse welfare if the animals were imported for UK consumption.

Diners bemused by Gordon’s deer stunt - May 4 2007
Gordon Ramsay served up some fresh venison to his customers - by strolling through his restaurant with a dead deer slung over his shoulder.

The animal had only just been shot and diners looked on with a mixture of bemusement and horror.

The chef tested his hunting skills for the new series of his Channel 4 show The F Word, which begins next week.

He travelled to Norfolk and was taught how to use a high-velocity rifle - although Channel 4 have not yet revealed whether the deer in the show was killed by the star himself.

Elsewhere in the series, the foul-mouthed chef challenges Top Gear presenter James May to eat some of the world’s most disgusting foodstuffs as a "test of manliness".

The pair managed to eat braised bull’s penis, Gordon keeping his down by gulping white wine.

But he proved himself to be all mouth and no trousers when it came to the next dish on the menu.

"This is basically rotten shark. You have to eat it without being sick - that is the true definition of a proper man," he said.

But within seconds of trying to eat it, he was violently sick in a bucket.

An insider said: "It’s very funny. Gordon challenges May to a macho food stand-off and comes out of it rather the worse for wear. To be fair, the food they eat is pretty disgusting."

Gordon’s search for a woman in the kitchen - May 2 2007
Perhaps it’s not surprising for a chef, but Gordon Ramsay reckons a woman in the kitchen can be quite sexy.

The star, who’s launching a search for a new female chef as part of The F Word, says: "When I think of some of the girls I worked with in France, and listening to Angela [Hartnett, his chef de patron at the Connaught] when she flies off the handle; it’s quite sexy. It sounds great."

And he says the Find Me A Fanny search - named for the famous Fanny Cradock - is looking for someone who can hold their own.

"Anyone that can present, looks good in a ball gown, can beat the crap out of their husband and then beat the crap out of me," he says.

"I’m sure that person is there, and we’re already having some horrendous clips coming in, just on the back of the website."

There’s no reason why women should feel intimidated about picking a career as a chef, he adds.

"Girls can stand up for themselves in the kitchen just as well as men can. I suppose I’ve come to the end of the road, because it has become so male dominated, it’s like a losing battle."

Gordon’s Posh friend a ’foodie’ - 1 May 2020
You might not think it to look at them, but Gordon Ramsay has revealed that his showbiz pals Victoria and David Beckham are real "foodies".

The celebrity chef, who is coming back on screens in a new series of the F Word, told Closer: "David loves his food and Victoria’s a real foodie too. When David’s got time I’m sure he’d love to learn to cook properly. I’d be happy to help him in the kitchen."

The Beckhams are currently looking after lambs for Gordon at Beckingham Palace, which the chef will slaughter later in the series.

But Gordon admitted he wasn’t looking forward to the task: "Hopefully they’ll come back beefed up for the slaughterhouse, which I’m dreading. But we’ve got weeks to go."