Gordon Ramsay has been criticised for his 'disrespectful' treatment of Indian chefs in his latest show.

More than 100 viewers complained to Channel 4 about his behaviour on Gordon's Great Escape.

The 43-year-old restaurateur described an Indian guru as 'Father Christmas' and repeatedly used obscenities when speaking to locals.

The three-part series, which aired last week, featured Ramsay visiting different parts of India to learn about traditional cooking methods.

In one scene, Ramsay - who claimed he had never eaten a dish without meat - met a guru and learned how to cook vegetarian food.

He made fun of the guru's beliefs, saying on the show: "When I first saw him I thought he was Father Christmas. But I don't dig all the stuff about the food. I respect carrots, fine, but they're not living to keep us happy."

In another scene, he told a Keralan tree climber: "You little f*****, making me look like a t***."

Channel 4 admitted it had received 116 complaints - more than double the average the network receives for his other show, The F Word.

A viewer said: "I thought Gordons Great Escape was offensive and disrespectful! The Father Christmas comment about the guru was uncalled for. His swearing was disgusting."

Another viewer said: "I am not normally bothered by swearing on telly, but I did find myself wishing Gordon would stop saying Oh s*** every two minutes. I guess he doesnt have the vocabulary."

A Channel 4 spokeswoman said: "Gordon is a passionate character and viewers know what to expect when watching his programmes. The series was broadcast after the watershed and each episode was preceded by a clear language warning."

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