Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has said he is 'deeply saddened' by the collapse of his restaurant chain.
More than 1,000 jobs are at risk after his Jamie's Italian chain called in administrators today.
Mr Oliver took to Twitter to express his sadness, saying he was "devastated".
In a statement he said: "I am deeply saddened by this outcome and would like to thank all of the staff and our suppliers who have put their hearts and souls into this business for over a decade.
"I appreciate how difficult this is for everyone affected.
"I would also like to thank all the customers who have enjoyed and supported us over the last decade, it's been a real pleasure serving you."
Around 1,300 people are estimated to work for the UK business.
The administration process overseen by KPMG does not affect Mr Oliver's other companies, which handle his media and licensing deals, while the international branch of Jamie's Italian is also unaffected.
Fifteen Cornwall, which operates under a franchise, is also not involved.
The collapse follows a hunt for a new investor in the Jamie's Italian brand, with a number of private equity firms touted as mulling bids for a stake in the business.
In 2018 Jamie's Italian shuttered 12 of its 37 sites through a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA).
The TV personality's steak house, Barbecoa, also went into a pre-pack administration, leading to the closure of its Piccadilly branch.
Overseas, five branches of the Australian arm of Jamie's Italian was sold off last year, while another was put into administration.
