Star-vation diet
CELEBRITY MASTERCHEF BBC1, 8m
“WE’RE the two mugs who are going to eat this food,” says Gregg Wallace as this hit foodie competition returns for another intense series.
He’s obviously not that reassured by the contestants lined up in front of him on day one.
But he and co-taster John Torode have surely seen, sorry eaten, it all before?
Incidents of raw chicken and psychedelic pink potatoes live long in the memory.
Another 20 famous (and some not so famous) faces are all ready, willing and hoping to follow in the footsteps of last year’s champ, Angellica Bell.
But tonight’s first five are all so nervous they could do with a pep talk. Stepping up to the plate are actor Keith Allen, TV presenter Michelle Ackerley, former international rugby player and pundit Martin Bayfield, recording artist and model Josh Cuthbert and singer songwriter Carol Decker.
“My kids say they know when tea’s ready because the smoke alarm goes off,” says Carol, front woman of 1980s band T’Pau. The first challenge is the Mystery Box, which contains that, er, classic combination of pork mince, prawns, fennel, cabbage and pears. “It looks like cat food,” says Michelle of her concoction. Later the celebs are sent to restaurants in London to cook for paying customers, before furiously attempting to prove themselves with a two-course menu back at HQ. To give you an idea of the standard, compliments dished out by John and Gregg include: “It’s not a disaster.” And this is exactly why we love this show.