Celebrity MasterChef is back with star prowess aside
IF THERE’S one show we can rely on for a taste of the familiar, it’s MasterChef; and hot on the heels of its 2020 finale, comes its much-loved celebrity spinoff.
Set across five weeks, the BBC One primetime staple, filmed before lockdown took hold, will once again offer up a who’s who drama, music, sport and showbusiness, as 20 famous faces compete to impress judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace in their pursuit for culinary victory.
But just who is set to battle their way to the top of its 15th season?
Among those vying for this year’s Celebrity MasterChef title are actors Shyko Amos, Phil Daniels and Felicity Montagu; actor and comedian Crissy Rock; comedian Judi Love; recording artist Myles Stephenson and musician Lady Leshurr.
Joining them in the kitchen are conductor for the Kingdom Choir, Karen Gibson; TV presenters Gethin Jones and Dom Littlewood; travel presenter Amar Latif; TV and radio presenter Jeff Brazier; broadcaster and internet personality Riyadh Khalaf and RuPaul UK finalist and drag artist Baga Chipz.
Olympic gold medallists and sports presenters Sam Quek MBE and Sir Matthew Pinsent CBE will also star, as will reality personality Pete Wicks; Apprentice star and entrepreneur Thomas Skinner; tennis coach Judy Murray OBE and football great John Barnes MBE.
That’s some line-up. But forget the day job — for there’s no room for big egos here, says 55-year-old Wallace.
“They act like celebrities when they first walk in, but I promise you, after round one, they’re no longer celebrities, they’re contestants,” he vows.
“They think they can ‘showbiz’ their way through it and then they realise they’re seriously going to succeed or fail by the quality of their cookery — and so the glamour just falls away.
“What you’re left with is hardworking MasterChef contestants, and I like that metamorphosis in them.”
“You end up with a level playing field, regardless of who you are,” notes Torode, 54.
“MasterChef, it’s a kitchen and everybody is the same, whether you’re a DJ rapper, whether you’re a footballer, a rower, a YouTuber or an actor, you’re exactly the same as everybody else. You’ve just got to cook your food get through it.”
How does their own experience compare to that of the amateur format, then?
“There’s something very different. The amateur one is very intense; there’s a lot of responsibility, lots of great food and it’s very interesting,” Torode begins.
“And then you go to the celeb way, because you don’t have any preconceptions, you just let it roll.
“One of the great joys of MasterChef has always been that we’re not scripted; Gregg and I say what we want, but we respect each other’s opinions, and always have, and that makes for a great show.”
It helps, too, that the show has devised a winning format.
Like previous years, viewers will see five names put through their paces in the Celebrity MasterChef heats each week.
The first challenge being The MasterChef Market, whereby they will stock up on produce, before inventing and cooking a dish for the judges.