
Dent, who also hosts the Guardian's Comfort Eating podcast, will replace Gregg Wallace and work alongside John Torode, the BBC confirmed yesterday.
Wallace stepped down from the series at the end of last month while its production company, Banijay UK, investigates claims of misconduct, which he denies.
Dent, who has appeared regularly as a guest on MasterChef and was a contestant last year on MasterChef: Battle of the Critics, will judge the 20th series. She said the step up to main judge was a dream come true.
"I'm so excited that I can't eat, which is severely detrimental to a restaurant critic. I feel very lucky to be stepping in for the next Celebrity MasterChef," she said. "I can't wait to meet the fresh celebrity faces for 2025."
Dent, whose book, Comfort Eating: What We Eat When Nobody's Looking, was published last year after the release of her memoir, Hungry, in 2020, added that she had been watching the show since she was a girl, sitting on a sofa with her late father.
"My whole family watches it. It's all about uncovering and championing talent - and to have ended up in this position is more than a dream to me," she said.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In

Child deaths surge amid 'Gazafication' of West Bank, says human rights group
Israel has brought the military tactics of its war in Gaza to the occupied West Bank, where Palestinians face mass forced displacements, a surge in airstrikes and a sharp rise in attacks on children and other civilians, a Palestinian-Israeli human rights group has said.
Ten Hag and Ashworth were errors. I apologise for that
Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho would represent 100% profit under profitability and sustainability rules. But Ratcliffe denied they and other academy players would be sold to generate funds. \"No. We won't be selling players because of the state we are in financially.\"

Only our best will be enough to beat PSG, warns Slot
Arne Slot believes Liverpool must produce their best performance of the season to finish off \"a complete\" Paris Saint-Germain team that gave him sleepless nights after the Champions League encounter last week.

Number of jobless 'indefensible', says PM amid criticism over cuts
Britain's benefits system is the \"worst of all worlds\", with the numbers out of work or training \"indefensible and unfair\", the prime minister has said as he prepares for deep cuts to disability payments.
Eriksen: United under 'massive' pressure to win
Christian Eriksen has admitted that there is \"massive pressure\" on Manchester United to beat Real Sociedad on Thursday and keep alive their hopes of playing European football next season.

Brighterdaysahead could light up Champion Hurdle
Constitution Hill has seen off every challenge with ease in winning all 10 of his races to date, but he could be facing his sternest opponent so far in the Champion Hurdle today and Brighterdaysahead (4.00) can also boast the strongest recent piece of form in the field.

Smart, smooth, calm in a crisis What can the world expect from Canada's new PM?
Smart, smooth, tough and a liberal globalist to the ends of his fingertips. That was how Mark Carney came across in his near seven-year stint as governor of the Bank of England.

Kursk region Russian forces speed up counteroffensive
Russian forces are trying to cross the border and gain a foothold in Ukraine's Sumy province as they press ahead with a counteroffensive aiming to eliminate the last of Kyiv's positions in the Russian Kursk region.

'I'd never seen someone coach that way. Mikel was the one. He inspired me'
Jack Wilshere talks role models, marathon running and Arsenal as he revels in his new role as a budding coach

'We were kids and it was out of our control. But we got on with it'
The big interview Harry Skelton Jockey and brother of likely champion trainer Dan talks about past trauma, his hopes for Cheltenham and dealing with high expectations