EXCLUSIVE: BBC order new MasterChef Christmas specials despite last year’s never airing
The BBC is to film two new celebrity specials of MasterChef for Christmas – despite having two on the shelf from last year which have never aired.
Fans will be happy to learn that there will be two brand new festive specials filmed for this year – after the ones for 2024 bit the dust amid the fallout of the Gregg Wallace investigation.
One insider said that the shows would be new, and “unlikely” to feature and of the stars from last year, who were left “gutted” that the programmes they’d made never saw the light of day. The first special, Celebrity MasterChef Christmas Cook Off, featured The Wanted singer Max George, Emmerdale actor Amy Walsh, reality star Luca Bish and comedian Shazia Mirza.
The new festive offereings could be the first time viewers get to see Grace Dent and Anna Waugh in action(Image: PA)
A second show, called MasterChef Meets Strictly Festive Extravaganza, featured pro dancers Amy Dowden, Gorka Marquez, Kai Widdrington and Nancy Xu, with judge Motsi Mabuse also involved, by setting a challenge.
At the time ex-Love Island contestant Luca showed his disappointment over the decision not to screen the programmes by declaring: “Christmas is cancelled. Gutted our Christmas special has been put on hold.” And soap star Amy agreed: “Beyond gutted about this decision after all the hard work we all put in. Sorry to confirm they won’t be showing our Celebrity Christmas Special 2024.”
At the time, just one day after confirming that the festive shows would be screened as planned, the BBC did a U-turn, with a spokesperson explaining “In the current circumstances we have decided not to broadcast them”.
News of the new Christmas shows came as it emerged that MasterChef’s John Torode was to have one last outing on BBC1 this autumn, despite losing his job in July, just days after Wallace, over an alleged racist remark.
Grace Dent teamed up with John Torode to film the celebrity version of the series last year, before he was sacked(Image: PA)
Bosses have announced that the star-studded version of the hit cookery show will air in the autumn slot, from November, which is usually the home of MasterChef: The Professionals. The Pro version, featuring new presenter Matt Tebbutt alongside regulars Marcus Wareing and Monica Galetti, will now air early next year. And that means the main series, featuring amateur cooks and hosted by Grace Dent and Irish chef Anna Haugh, is now unlikely to air until next summer.
The chaos caused by the investigation into Gregg Wallace’s behaviour will continue, because all of the different MasterChef series are now airing in the wrong order – and filming logistics are making it hard for production chiefs to get them back into their regular slots.
Torode, who lost his job in July just days after the findings of the independent review into Wallace’s behaviour ordered by production company Banijay UK, had already filmed the series alongside Dent, who previously appeared on the shows in her role as a food critic.
Blue’s Antony Costa is one of the stars taking part in Celebrity MasterChef, which will air from next month(Image: PA)
Torode, 60, was dropped after an allegation against him using “an extremely offensive racist term” was upheld. He claims to have “no recollection” of the remark. MThe show was then put on ice alongside the amateur version while bosses worked out whether they could screen either of them, having sacked both presenters over their conduct.
But once the amateur one, fronted by both Torode and Wallace, finally aired over the summer, it was clear that the 20th celebrity version would also get the go-ahead.
The upcoming series will feature 15 famous faces including singers, actors, sports stars and comics. Over five weeks they will strive to follow in the footsteps of last year’s winner, Strictly pro dancer Vito Coppola.
A BBC spokesperson said: “Banijay UK has consulted the celebrities, contestants and guests featured and all have confirmed that they are happy for the shows to be aired.
“As we have said previously, these are not straightforward decisions. We have approached this with care and consideration for all involved and we appreciate not everyone will agree with us.”This time around the stars are: Alfie Boe, 52, musical theatre favourite, Alun Wyn Jones, 40, Welsh rugby international, Antony Costa, 44, member of boyband Blue, Ashley Cain, 35, Ex on the Beach regular, Chris Hughes, 32, Love Island and Big Brother contestant, Dawn O’Porter, 46, TV presenter and author, Gaz Choudhry, 40, Paralympian wheelchair basketball star, Ginger Johnson, 37, star of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Jaki Graham, 69, soul singer, Jamie Lomas, 50, Hollyoaks actor, Jodie Ounsley, 24, Gladiator AKA Fury, Katie McGlynn, 32, Coronation Street actress, Michelle Heaton, 46, member of pop group Liberty X, Noreen Khan, 40, comedian and radio presenter, Uma Jammeh, 26, former Love Islander