Hollywood Exclusive by Marilyn Beck & Stacy Jenel Smith

With U.K. media feasting upon the scandal of his father-in-law's double life and bitter family estrangement, Chef Gordon Ramsay, his wife, Tana, and their four children have been reported to be planning to move from England to the U.S. full time. He tells us that's not true.

"We're not moving. We obviously spend a lot of time here. We have a house in Bel Air. We're going to keep one foot in London and one here," says the international culinary superstar, whose "MasterChef" competition show begins its second season on Fox Monday (6/6).

The information about his father-in-law — and ex-business partner — Chris Hutcheson's secret mistress of three decades and their two adult love children broke less than two weeks ago. That was when a British judge lifted the privacy order that had prevented details of Ramsay's firing of Hutcheson last October from reaching the public. A legal war between Ramsay and Hutcheson continues.

Times have also been tough on Ramsay, as his restaurants back home took a beating financially amid the economic downturn.

Of that matter, he says, "I'm glad we got it turned around back in the U.K. We've just released our financial reports for 2010, and our company is back in profit, which is great news."

Clearly, the famously volatile chef is not allowing the sad state of affairs with his wife's family to slow him down.

As we speak, he notes, "My children are in the garden playing. They'll be flying back to the U.K. in two weeks. Tana is out for a run with our eldest daughter, Megan, who is 13. I'll be doing Season 10 of 'Hell's Kitchen' (Season 9 starts airing in July), then I'll be back in London, and then to Scotland for a charity event for Scottish Spina Bifida Association, which we've been patrons of for eight years, at Edinburgh Castle."

After that, his itinerary takes him to Sardinia and dealings with a restaurant there, back to Los Angeles for a spell, then on to Melbourne, Australia, and then back to London by September.

The OBE-garnering celebrity laughs when reminded that his fellow "MasterChef" mentor-judges, Joe Bastianich and Graham Elliot, refer to him in a promo as a wildebeest and as a teddy bear, respectively.

"The wildebeest chef. That one's gone global," he observes.

But he's touted as showing his kind, charming side while mentoring "MasterChef" contestants. "I've always been a great teacher," states Ramsay, never one for false modesty.

He describes this season's group as more capable and competitive than ever and adds, "I'm so happy with the results. It's quite refreshing to see that level of professionalism — and these people are amateurs."

Ramsay readily acknowledges that he's passionate for good and bad. Whether he's passionately supportive of good work or furiously spewing his trademark colorful profanity at people doing a bad job, "That's just how I am. But I never walk around with my head up my backside thinking I'm God's gift. I still, on a daily basis, want to better myself and be a standard-bearer for that kind of professional attitude. I have a great team that works endlessly, keeping me on time and looking good. They also work incredibly hard."

He stresses, "I never take it all for granted."

AT LAST: A June 27 production start in Michigan has been set for filmmaker Charlie Matthau's adaptation of Elmore Leonard's "Freaky Deaky" — after a long and winding journey through development hell.

Matthau told us last year that the work was his "passion project — Elmore Leonard's favorite and best novel. For years, I've been tracking it. Quentin Tarantino optioned it after 'Pulp Fiction.' He developed a script but didn't write it. Then we got very lucky because Quentin decided to do 'Rum Punch' instead. That turned into 'Jackie Brown,' so he did let the option go on 'Freaky Deaky.' Then John Malkovich got hold of it, so again, I thought I would never get it. But John is involved in so many different projects, a couple of years went by, and the option lapsed."

Matthau (son of the late Walter Matthau), whose work includes the critically admired "Grass Harp" and "Mrs. Lambert Remembers Love," admitted he was calling the 90-year-old author every month about the book rights until he finally said yes — "I think partially to get rid of me."

THE BIG-SCREEN SCENE: Just when you thought you could put "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" behind you comes word that filming forces are gathering in Louisiana at month's end to make "Texas Chainsaw 3D" — which takes place decades after the original movie's events, when Heather travels to a small town in Texas to collect her inheritance. Turns out she's also collecting the dreaded Leatherface.

Work is due to begin this week on "Project X," the Joel Silver-Todd ("The Hangover") Phillips picture at Warner Bros. about a group of young fledgling filmmakers documenting a house party that goes awry. British commercial director Nima Nourizadeh is at the helm of the low-budget comedy.

To find out more about Marilyn Beck and Stacy Jenel Smith and read their past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

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