HospoLive, a free Facebook Live stream created to upskill, inspire and connect furloughed workers during the coronavirus pandemic, has gone worldwide, reaching over 80,000 people in 51 countries, since its launch last week.

The stream, which was launched by Think Hospitality and Flow Hospitality, with the support of Fleet Street Communications and a huge number of volunteers, covers a number of key areas, including health, wellness, hospitality training and live cooking segments, clearly demonstrates the resourceful and collaborative nature of the hospitality industry, as it faces down the biggest challenge it has ever faced.

The channel, which runs from 8.30-18.00, boasts an impressive and diverse content line-up spanning all sectors and roles within the hospitality industry, including tutorials and guidance from celebrities, industry icons and wellness professionals.

These include: actor & vineyard owner Sam Neill; MasterChef winners, Shelina Permalloo, Simon Wood & Jane Devonshire; former dragon and serial investor, Sarah Willingham; Michelin-starred chefs, Simon Rogan and Paul Ainsworth; and industry icons, Jeremy King, JJ Goodman, and Mr Lyan.

In a time of global uncertainty, the live stream has drawn audiences from across: Europe; the USA; Australia; India; Vietnam; and Barbados; clearly demonstrating the polarising impact of the Covid-19 pandemic across the hospitality industry.

James Hacon, Chief Executive at Think Hospitality, commented, “Hospitality is an incredibly resourceful industry that is inundated with quality, talented people. We started this stream so that we could engage this smart, erudite community, whilst many were furloughed.

'What the figures clearly show is that the challenge we face is not unique to the UK, but one that spans across the globe. Social media is an incredibly powerful tool, allowing us to reach out and engage tens of thousands of people directly.

'We very much see this as the future, the launch of dedicated industry TV channels online, if you will, especially in the wake of this situation where people are becoming ever used to communicating and learning online.”

Elly Johnston, Director of Flow Hospitality adds “We’re determined to continue doing our bit to encourage connection, support wellbeing, keep minds active and enable the best people and operators to share best practice.

'Isolation can have a detrimental impact on mental health, particularly when there is nothing for people to engage with, so we’re very much hoping HospoLive is capturing people’s mind and imaginations during this down period, which will translate to better concepts, ideas and customer experiences when the industry relaunches.”

HospoLive is broadcast Monday-Friday through Facebook Live. Other guests confirmed to appear are Chef Asma Khan, of Netflix Chef’s Table fame; Nordic pioneer Claus Meyer; Guardian food writer, Felicity Cloake; and Financial Times Restaurant Critic, Nicholas Lander.