Judgement DAY!

ANNA HAUGH on joining the panel of TV’s toughest culinary contest

- CAREN CLARK

MASTERCHEF: THE PROFESSIONALS

WED-FRI, TIMES VARY, BBC1 COOKERY 

As MasterChef: The Professionals returns to BBC1 for its 15th series, the 32 elite chefs nervously entering the kitchen will have a no-nonsense new judge to impress.

Morning Live’s down-to-earth resident chef Anna Haugh, owner of the award-winning Myrtle Restaurant in London, is joining returnees Gregg Wallace and Marcus Wareing on the panel to replace Monica Galetti, who is taking a break from the show.

The series begins, as always, with the pressure-filled heats, which see four contestants in each episode tackle the hair-raising Skills Test and the tricky Signature Menu challenge in a bid to land a place in the quarter-finals.

Here, Dublin-born Anna, 41, tells TV Times why she has loved putting the rising stars through their paces…

Congratulations on joining MasterChef: The Professionals! How have you found the experience so far?

It’s overwhelming and a brilliant show to be part of. My whole focus is enjoying what I do as a job and it’s lovely to add MasterChef to that world. I knew it was going to be hard work but I feel I’m standing on Monica’s shoulders – she has laid the path for me.

Have you enjoyed working with Marcus and Gregg?

Yes, I’m proud of the work that I’ve done with them. I cannot sing their praises enough – I feel indebted to them. They gave brilliant advice and if I was struggling, they cheered me on and gave me self-confidence to keep going.