Square MEALS!

Ex-EastEnder DANIELLE HAROLD on swapping Walford for the MasterChef kitchen

- STEVEN PERKINS

Danielle Harold is full of jokes and laughter as TV Times joins her for a chat about taking part in this year’s Celebrity MasterChef, but she’s hesitant to declare herself a contender for the trophy.

‘I love cooking, but I’m not sure if I’m good or bad at it,’ chuckles Danielle, 32. ‘I used to think I was a 10 out of 10, but since doing this show, that score has definitely gone down!’

It’s been a whirlwind year for the former EastEnders star since her final scenes as Walford’s tragic Lola Pearce-Brown aired in May 2023, with Danielle going on to pick up a Serial Drama Performance gong at the 2023 National Television Awards and heading to Australia to take part in ITV1’s I’m a Celebrity… Get Me out of Here!, where she finished sixth.

This week, however, Danielle’s focus is on serving up delicious dishes as she dons her apron alongside Line of Duty actor Rochenda Sandall, Gladiators’ Harry Aikines-Aryeetey (AKA Nitro), reality star Chloe Burrows and comedian and Sex Education actor Eshaan Akbar in the competition’s second heat.

Here, in our exclusive interview, she tells us why this show came along at exactly the right time…

What was it like stepping into the MasterChef kitchen?

It was such a surreal feeling! I’m always nervous before I do a show. I can never seem to kick that, but the nerves definitely went up when I walked into the kitchen. It was just mind-blowing to see how big it was and how professional it looked. I don’t think I was ready for that. I looked around and was like, ‘I don’t know what any of this stuff is!’

Did you get any tips from your old EastEnders colleagues who have done the show before?