Pots Of Talent!

Host Gregg Wallace on what’s on the menu for this year’s Celebrity MasterChef

- Elaine Reilly

Celebrity MasterChef is an annual hit and reliable ratings winner. Unlike many of its reality show rivals, the BBC1 cookery competition sticks firmly to its original format, never resorting to spicing up the delicious recipe of judging stars’ cooking skills and eliminating them one by one.

‘All of the celebrities seem very surprised when they come on and just cook,’ laughs Gregg Wallace, who’s been hosting and judging the show with co-star John Torode since 2006. ‘They must think there’s unseen help off-camera.

‘I’ve been doing MasterChef for a long time now, and Celebrity MasterChef is always a favourite. It’s great fun and also has a good reputation in the industry for looking after contestants – we never humiliate anyone. We don’t create drama for ratings. There’s a decency about the show, I think.’

The 12th series will again see a diverse mix of celebs in the kitchen. Putting on the famous MasterChef aprons this week are newsreader Julia Somerville, snooker legend Stephen Hendry, TV presenter Angellica Bell, comedian Jim Moir (aka Vic Reeves) and French tennis champion Henri Leconte.