The heat is on!

Actor Phil Daniels gets ready to impress John and Gregg in this week’s Celebrity Masterchef CELEBRITY MASTERCHEF Wednesday-friday, times vary BBC1 Cookery

What’s your favourite Q thing to cook? A These days I like cooking curry and one-pot meals. I’ve been to Thailand and Malaysia over the years and I love Asian curries and seafood like prawns and squid. I also love a good steak every now and then.

Q ADid you know any of the celebs from your heat? I’d only met Dom Littlewood before. Baga Chipz remembered me from Eastenders because she’s a big soap fan. We all had a laugh together. Baga Chipz was on tour at the same time she was filming Masterchef, so she was a slightly manic Baga Chipz!

Q What would you say is your earliest food memory?

A My dad used to go deep-sea

fishing and was a member of a fishing club when there was still plenty of fish in the sea. He’d always come back with cod and plaice, gut it all on a Sunday night, then on a Monday, we’d all eat grilled fish with chips. Q How did you feel about facing John and Gregg and having your food judged? A However cool you think you’re going to be, the programme is designed to put you under pressure. When you go up with your little plate, you’re desperate for them to say, ‘That’s the best chicken I’ve ever tasted,’ instead of ‘Yuck!’

Q Did you ever cook for any of your Eastenders co-stars such as Linda Henry (who plays Shirley Carter) or Dame

Barbara Windsor (Peggy Mitchell)? A I’d be scared

to cook for

Tough... Linda Henry

Linda Henry. She’s tough! She’d be a much harsher judge than Gregg or John. They should make Linda a Masterchef judge – she’d sort everyone out! Q What did you learn from doing the series? A My presentation still isn’t great but my food is all about the taste. I learnt a few new recipes and tricks from John Torode. I also discovered Gregg Wallace was a mod when he was younger and he is a huge Quadrophenia fan – he could quote bits from it! He brought in a picture from his mod days to show me!