Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Who’ll be first for the chop?
BBC1, 9pm CELEBS who can’t really cook, Queen Mary Berry herself, plus the wit and wisdom of Claudia Winkleman – this is the TV equivalent of comfort food.
We all know the drill. It’s the search for the best ever celebrity home cook. But really, it’s a chance to watch people we know panic and fall apart over a collapsed souffle or sunken sponge.
Taking part in the challenge are reality TV star Ferne Mccann, broadcaster and former politician Ed Balls, actors Ruth Madeley and Shobna Gulati, reality star Tom Read Wilson, presenter Karim Zeroual, journalist Rachel Johnson, comedians Ed Byrne and Desiree Burch and former Welsh rugby captain Gareth Thomas.
Their talents range from “dad cook” (Ed Balls) to “I chopped a parsnip once” (Tom) and
“It’s all about improvisation” (Shobna).
They will be put through their paces by the newly “Damed” Mary, along with top chef Angela Hartnett and fruit and veg expert Chris Bavin. Thanks to social distancing rules, these three peer at proceedings from a balcony, where Mary even has a pair of theatre binoculars – a wonderful look for 2021. Claudia wanders around telling everyone she wants to cuddle them and declaring love to whoever is cooking the most amount of food.
First they face Mary’s Ultimate round, cooking a tried and tested dish.
Then they attempt Chris’s Rustle Up challenge, creating a dish with a surprise ingredient.
The weakest celebs are picked for Angela’s dreaded Eliminator, following one of her recipes in a cookoff, before one person gets the boot.
It’s all charming culinary mayhem.