With the 2018 final imminent, judge John Torode talks about what it takes to be a winner, his favourite challenges and the moment a finalist attempted to lay an egg!

After seven gruelling weeks hunched over hobs, and rustling up amazing creations including swans made of coconut and crazy concoctions of beetroot sorbet and smoked chicken, hearty pies to please the critics and oozy puddings to make judge Gregg weep tears of joy, the 56 amateur cooks will soon be whittled down to just three.

As the grand  final looms, the remaining contestants are cooking for their lives but only one will be crowned MasterChef champ and follow in the footsteps of last year’s winner, doctor Saliha.

As the eight remaining contestants - Nisha, Nwamin, Moonira, Kenny, Gregg, George, Alex and David-   go head to head, who will wow judges John Torode and Gregg  Wallace the most and walk away with the coveted title?

With the grand final looming, judge John talks exclusively to  TV Times about  creative cook-offs, heartache and what it takes to be crowned MasterChef champ 2018…

TV Times: Tell us about some of the challenges facing the finalists…

John Torode: They cook with some amazing chefs including Ashley Palmer-Watts and also Tommy Banks, who was the youngest chef to ever get a Michelin star. He takes the most simple of ideas and puts his own spin on it, like an apple tart that takes over four hours to create and is made with fermented apples. And he does an extraordinary thing with a piece of beetroot that he cooks in beef fat for three hours that  gives it the texture and flavour of a steak.

They also travel to Peru and recreate popular dishes for a group of fisherman. It was a huge culture shock for them  but they learnt so much and really did themselves proud.

TVT: Who has really surprised you and been a bit of a dark horse?

JT: "I think a lot of people will be surprised by who makes the final three! That's pretty surprising! What’s really stood out this year is the sheer range of contestants from all different walks of life and with very different influences. Because of that we’ve ended up with this incredible mixture of food."

TVT: With the intense pressure of the very final cook-off, were there any mishaps or disasters?

JT: "Only broken hearts which is sadly, always the way. The toughest is when the final four become three and one person leaves just before the very last challenge. It’s devastating."

TVT: How does this year’s final compare to previous ones?

JT: "I think you’re in for an extraordinary experience when during the final, someone decides to lay an egg. I’m not being cryptic. That’s how creative things get; someone actually tries to lay an egg!"

TVT: Which challenges have you enjoyed from this series?

JT: "I think the pie challenge set by food critic Jay Rayner was one of the most inspired we’ve had. Everyone thinks about the pie as being so humble but that challenge proved it can be elevated into something so exciting, extraordinary and wonderful. I'm telling you, those pies were bloody great!"

TVT: Besides talent, flair and skill what do you think makes a MasterChef winner?

JT: "It’s someone who opens their heart and puts their life on a plate. Their journey on MasterChef, their own personality, their influences, it’s all there and delivered with love. That’s a great cook."

TVT: This is the 14th series you've done of MasterChef. What do you love about it?

JT: "What I love about this whole thing is that it’s now pretty cool to be a cook. When I was a kid and said I wanted to be a chef everyone looked at me as if I was some kind of ill-educated weirdo. Thirty years ago  it was thought of as one of those professions where people were tucked away in a dark corner, peeling spuds and not doing very much. These days cooking is something that people understand and revere!"

TVT: Were you and fellow judge, Gregg Wallace, united in your decision of who was crowned champion?

JT: "Very much so. We often have debates along the way about who to put through to the next round but when it comes to the final winner we rarely disagree. For all the finalists, their lives are going to change forever. How exactly, depends on them."

Don't miss the MasterChef final on Friday 13th April, BBC 1 @8:30pm

Following the last of the semi-finals, John Torode gives the lowdown on the gruelling hurdles the four finalists will have to face and shares his highlights from this year's series of Celebrity MasterChef...

Following the last of the semi-finals, John Torode gives the lowdown on the gruelling hurdles the four finalists will have to face and shares his highlights from this year's series of Celebrity MasterChef.

Here's John Torode's TV Times interview

TV Times: Are you expecting a tense final?

John Torode: "Definitely. These are competitive people and that’s why it becomes so tense. The celebrities always say they want to learn to cook but let’s face it they’re all there to win."

TVT: How do you think the series has shaped up so far?

JT: "It’s been a brilliant year and we’ve had some fantastic characters. There’s a great diversity of careers, origins and backgrounds. We’ve had more fish stews from around the world than ever before. But on Masterchef we don’t really care who these people are. What we care about is the food. The celeb tag doesn’t mean very much. We’re not going to put someone through just because they’re funny because we’re the ones who have to eat their food!"

TVT: What’s the key to success then?

JT: "It’s getting that balance between knowing what you want to do, not going over the top and doing it well. Often the contestants take too much of a gamble and it goes wrong. For example Angelica made a very pretty apple tart and put loads of pressure on herself but the consequence was it didn’t taste right."

TVT: What tasks will you be setting for the final?

JT: "The palate taste this year is all about Asian food. We all know what a dumpling looks like or a chicken satay but can they make them? Then the final is as tough as it gets. They have to impress the best chefs in the country and that’s always the big one."

 TVT: What’s the most challenging part?

JT: "Conquering their nerves. There’s that great saying ‘Don’t look at everybody else’s ladder or you’ll fall off your own’ and that’s what happens. They’re all watching each other and keeping secrets up their sleeves!"

TVT: What should we look out for?

JT: "It’s about consistency first and foremost and not just cooking with your head but cooking with your heart. If the contestants learn to relax and trust their instincts it works so much better."

TVT: Who's surprised you this year?

JT: "What always astounds me is that in real life these people play in stadiums in front of thousands of people or act in front of an audience of millions but then they cook a duck and get all nervous about it. I was most surprised by Ulrika because I didn’t expect her to have so little confidence. And she’s a gifted cook."

TVT: Any funny moments this year?

JT: "We always have a giggle but the real shock was Becky admitting she’s scared of fish. My reaction was ‘What you’re an Olympic swimmer and you won’t go in the sea? That’s amazing!"

TVT: Nothing beats the finals though does it?

JT: "No. What always happens is someone’s head will just pop up and they produce something amazing. It’s anybody’s game."

Here's John's series highlights...

1.Nick Moran's beef Wellington

"Nick reinventing the beef Wellington into a Wellington boot with purple mash in the bottom was bonkers. It was a potato pasty. That’s double carbs and like double denim, you just don’t do it."

2.The skills test

"The contestants always come in thinking they can’t do these tests but as the weeks go by they realise they can. To get people to find that confidence and understand they have the skills is wonderful."

3.Cooking for the RNLI

"This was organised chaos. It was like walking down the street in Mumbai. It shouldn’t come together but somehow it did."

Watch Celebrity Masterchef - The Final, BBC1, Friday, 22 September

Olympic swimmer Rebecca Adlington reveals why taking part in Celebrity MasterChef was a dive into the deep end…

Rebecca Adlington holds two gold and two bronze Olympic swimming medals and has also set records in British, Commonwealth, European and Olympic swimming. So you’d think taking part in Celebrity MasterChef would be a breeze for the accomplished British swimming champion. But MasterChef can do funny things to people!

“The atmosphere in the MasterChef kitchen is really, really intense. I’m not sure what’s harder MasterChef or the Olympics. I’m used to pressurised situations, I don’t crumble under pressure, but not only was it intense I didn’t have a clue what I was doing!” Rebecca told What’s on TV. “At least with swimming I feel confident. MasterChef was out of my comfort zone. Afterwards it felt like I’d swum a race. I was physically exhausted, but I kind of liked it!”

Joining Rebecca in the competitive kitchen this week are Debbie McGee, Outnumbered star Tyger Drew-Honey, S Club 7 star Rachel Stevens and Radio 1 DJ Dev Griffin. It’s a good mix and everyone gets on, but when the ingredients of the Mystery Box round are revealed to include minced meat and pears, and the second round puts the celebrities in a professional kitchen the pressure is well and truly on...

“You go blank when you see the Mystery Box. You know what you could cook, but your mind freaks out!” revealed Rebecca. “Cooking in M restaurant in London was insane too. The heat, being on your feet, and cooking for paying customers – I see restaurants in a different light now.”

The celebrity cooks’ final chance to impress judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace comes in the third heat when they cook two courses of their own choosing. This round is Gregg Wallace’s favourite, which adds to the pressure!

“The final menu is a double-edged sword. You feel more confident because you’ve done it before, but that’s also the scariest thing in the world!” said Rebecca. “John and Greg are a bit scary to cook for because they’re so iconic. But what I really liked with them was how they passed judgement. It was constructive criticism – they never have a go at you!”

Rebecca added: “I definitely haven’t gone into MasterChef thinking I could win. My only goal is to try and make it through the first heat.

“The whole time I swam food was fuel. After I retired I put on a lot of weight because for the first time in my life I could indulge! Now, it’s back to basics again. MasterChef is a possibility to learn!”

Find out if Rebecca sinks or swims in Celebrity MasterChef on BBC1, Wednesday August 23 at 8pm

Gregg Wallace reveals the secret ingredients that make Celebrity MasterChef an ongoing success – star contestants and hard work!

Celebrity MasterChef is a rare thing among reality shows – an annual success and consistent ratings winner. Unlike many of it’s counterparts, Celebrity MasterChef sticks firmly to its original format, rarely resorting to spicing up the delicious recipe of experts John Torode and Gregg Wallace judging stars’ cooking skills and eliminating them one by one…

We talked to seasoned judge Gregg Wallace, who reveals the secret to Celebrity MasterChef’s success – handle the stars with care and also put them to work!

What makes it so special to work on? "Many of the celebrities have experienced the limelight or worked on telly before so rarely are they as scared as amateur contestants when they first come on. Some amateurs get frozen to the spot or their hands shake uncontrollably. All you want from the celebrities in the early rounds is to show some decent, basic cookery skills!"

Why do you think the format continues to be such a hit? "I’ve been doing MasterChef for a long time now and Celebrity MasterChef is 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, it’s honest, real and supportive. There’s a decency about the show, I think."

What else gives the celebrity version an extra kick? "Two things always surprise me with Celebrity MasterChef – some of these guys can really cook, and some of them can’t cook at all. I don’t know why this still surprises me, but it does! Everybody realises very quickly MasterChef is about cooking, they can’t ‘celeb their way out of it’ as I call it! There’s no singing, joking or dancing out of the situation – although they always try!"

Celebrity MasterChef attracts an amazing array of talented people. Are you ever star-struck? "I’m a massive rugby fan so when big Phil Vickery came on in 2011 and won it, I was delighted. I was also like a little girl meeting the Spice Girls when Paul Young came on in 2006 – I’m a big fan of his early band Q-Tips. Over the years John and I have become more well-known so I feel more of an equal to them now. I don’t think they’re particularly star-struck with me, they’re more in awe of the competition. They’ve all seen the quality food the finalists produce!"

As ever, it’s a mixed batch of personalities. What makes for a winner? " It’s impossible to know when they walk through the door who can cook and who can’t. Initially all you want is simple, homely food. You can build on that. Age doesn’t always equal experience. Some people come to cookery very late and there’s also the ‘old dogs, new tricks’ phenomenon. Sometimes it’s easier to teach people who haven’t picked up bad habits or preconceptions.

"I maintain the winner of Celebrity MasterChef is rarely the best cook at the start. It’s the person with the ability to learn very fast."

Do you have a favourite round? "My favourite is when they cook their own food. It’s invariably better than the muck we’ve eaten previously! I like that they go into a restaurant after the mystery box round, too. It’s the ultimate baptism of fire. They always come out with a new respect for chefs."

Do you ever feel mischievous when it comes to mystery box ingredients? "John and I don’t choose the mystery box ingredients, but the producers ask us what we think of them before the contestants come in. You don’t want to be too mischievous and throw them completely. Don’t worry, they’ll make enough mistakes of their own! Give someone a loaf, a saucepan and a tin of beans and they can mess it up or invent something crazy!"

Taking part in heat one are reporter Julia Somerville, snooker legend Stephen Hendry, presenter Angellica Bell, comedian Jim Moir and tennis champion Henri Leconte. Famous faces taking part later in the series include Olympic champion Becky Adlington, presenter Debbie McGee, Outnumbered’s Tyger Drew Honey, presenter Ulrika Jonsson and Gogglebox’s Reverend Kate Bottley. Who will follow in the footsteps of last year’s champion, Alexis Conran?

The new series of Celebrity MasterChef kicks off on BBC1 on Wednesday, August 16 at 8pm and continues on Friday, August 18 at 8.30pm.

John Torode promises an adventure worth tuning in to, from battling to eat moving octopus using metal chop sticks, to trying to keep up with the locals drinking

MasterChef fans will know that John Torode has a cast-iron stomach. Few dishes faze the TV judge and popular chef, but Korea tested his palate. And his nerve.

In an exclusive chat with TV Times John spills the beans on his new 10-part series for the Good Food channel, John Torode’s Korean Food Tour. He reveals the perfect example of how the cuisine challenged him.

He said: "So the thing about Korean food is that it has to be absolutely fresh. I had octopus one day and watched someone clean it, chop it and hand it to me to eat."

To our shocked faces, he added: "They use metal chopsticks, which I couldn’t use as it was so slippery – so I had to wait until the tentacles suckered on to the chopsticks. And was then told to chew hard at least 10 times otherwise the suckers can get on your vocal cords… I know, it's hardcore! It takes a bit of getting used to."

So why Korea, John? "It’s always fascinated me. It’s one of those places people think they know something about and actually they know nothing! Similarly, the Koreans think the world knows about their food, but very few people do!"

What’s the most unusual thing you ate? "Moving octopus is up there. Chilled noodles with floating ice cubes was bonkers, but brilliant. The thing is, Korean food isn’t just about flavour, it’s about texture and sensation too. So if it’s cold food, it’ll be served so freezing it numbs your mouth. If it’s hot, it’s searing hot and burns your tongue. And when you have something unusual, it’s often moving!

"So, sashimi – you walk down a street market and ladies will be there with tubs of live fish swimming around. They kill it, clean it, make it into sashimi and you eat it there and then. It’s not cold out the fridge like we’re used to, but room – sorry, air - temperature. That feels unusual too."

Any other big surprises?"Koreans love a drink. Boy, I never realised how much. They drink more alcohol than anyone in the world – over four times as much as we do and twice as much as the Russians. Their national drink is a fermented rice spirit called Soju. I soon realised I needed to go easy on it if filming the next day!"

You obviously enjoyed sampling the food. What did you enjoy cooking? "I had my own kitchen in Gangnam in Seoul and loved making Korean ginseng chicken soup. And iced noodles, which are delicious. Again, it’s about sensation and texture so there’s the amazing flavour from the spicy sauce, and because of the ice cubes you have to slurp – Korea is big on slurping – that’s the sensation."

John Torode’s Korean Food Tour premieres on Monday, July 17 at 9pm on Good Food Channel, Sky

Interview by Rebecca Fletcher

Gregg Wallace and John Torode have explained how to win MasterChef, ahead of the hit culinary series' return to BBC1 on Wednesday

MasterChef is back for a 13th series on the BBC, but what does it take to be crowned champion?

We caught up with judges Gregg Wallace and John Torode to find out what they’re looking for.

To win over Gregg…

Sometimes, simple is better

"One of my favourite things is minced lamb, boiled potatoes and tinned peas with gravy, because I just don’t get a chance to eat it. You just don’t get the chance to eat the food I was brought up with, like mashed potatoes and tins of beans."

Don’t just grab any old bit of chicken and think you can make it Michelin star-worthy

"What worries me, what makes me nervous? It’s when someone automatically just grabs for a protein and then takes it away and hasn’t really thought about what’s going to go with it, that’s the kind of British meat and two veg philosophy. That makes me nervous, for them, not to eat it, just for them because I don’t think it’s going to be a particularly great dish."

Don’t answer back on how undercooked or overcooked something is

"You say ‘That’s undercooked’ and what really frustrates me is when contestants say, ‘Well, I didn’t want to overcook it’. Well, I didn’t want you to overcook it either!"

You’d better not mess up noodles, because everyone can do them now

"Asian style food has become as normal to us in the UK as European. Everybody seems to be quite a dab hand at some noodles and some Asian spices."

Serve him anything that has chocolate in it

"Chocolate, I love chocolate, I’m very happy [if someone gives me chocolate], it’s a very versatile thing and they can be really creative with it."

Don’t smarm up to the cameras and judges

"Some of the contestants act up in front of me and John, they’ll start sniffing things in a semi-professional kind of manner. It’s all right, you don’t have to sniff that carrot, just put it down, it’ll be fine to grate!"

If you get to the professional kitchen round, remember that even Gregg is nervous for you

"Trying to recreate the food of a truly great chef I still think is very, very nerve-wracking, because at any point that chef could absolutely explode – just go nuts. These are driven, driven people, so for an amateur trying to recreate dishes from people bordering genius, is a huge challenge."

And to win over John…

Don’t even think about serving couscous – or mashed potato

"The word couscous usually fills me with dread because so often it’s gluggy and under seasoned and just this soggy mash of stuff, and the other one is mashed potato. ‘I’m doing something with mashed potato.’ Right, OK, so how many lumps will it have and will it be really gluey and sticky? It’s simple things like that that I’ll think, ‘No, please don’t do it’."

Cook with aubergine as much as you like

"We’ve seen more things done with an aubergine than we’ve ever seen before [this series], and the aubergine is an extremely adaptable vegetable."

Same goes for any wild creatures you can shoot in the British countryside

"British game is right up there, which is fantastic. We saw more quail this year, partridge, pheasant and grouse than we’ve ever seen before, which is brilliant."

Do your research, get through the first round and you’ll be fine

"Nothing will be harder than the first challenge, because of your nerves. You are properly, very, very nervous, and the great cooks are the ones who have lots of information stuffed up their sleeve and they know what they’re doing and they’ve been watching, researching, they’re the ones and you can really see it."

Terrified? Get a grip, and try and enjoy it. It’s just pots and pans after all

"Guys, it’s OK, you’re here to cook, you love to cook, just chill out a bit and go enjoy yourself, have a nice time."

MasterChef returns to BBC One on Wednesday, March 29 at 8pm.

The Celebrity MasterChef winner and Spooks star will join the soap this spring playing businesswoman, Fi Browning.

Celebrity MasterChef winner and former Spooks actress, Lisa Faulkner,  is joining EastEnders this spring playing a sophisticated and stylish business woman.

Lisa, who shot to fame starring in former Liverpool- based soap, Brookside, has had big roles in many long running dramas including Holby City and Death In Paradise and will play Walford's new arrival Fi Browning who is described as having "a glacial exterior."

What brings Fi to Walford is being kept under wraps, but viewers will discover behind Fi's hard-nosed facade there is much more to her than meets the eye and it's not just business that keeps bringing her back to Albert Square.

Sean O’Connor, Executive Producer of the soap said: “I’m really thrilled that we have been able to tempt Lisa Faulkner back to TV drama and back to the BBC. She’s an extremely accomplished and hugely popular actress and we’re very excited to have her in Albert Square."

Since winning Celebrity MasterChef in 2010,  45-year-old  actress Lisa has carved out a successful career as a cookery author writing several bestselling books and presenting numerous TV cooking shows.

Speaking about her new role Lisa said: “I’m so happy to be joining the cast of Eastenders – it’s an iconic show and I can’t wait to play my part in it. Fi Browning is a hugely exciting character and I’m really looking forward to working with Sean and all the team, and revealing more about her. I can’t say any more now as I’m sworn to secrecy, but it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Producer Sean added, "Fi Browning is something of a departure for EastEnders; a no-nonsense but sophisticated business woman with strength and vulnerability. But does she have an agenda? And who - or what- has she set her sights on?”

Lisa was previously married to EastEnders actor Chris Coghill, after the couple met on the set of BBC3 drama, Burn It. Chris went on to play Albert Square's menacing paedophile, Tony King, who groomed Bianca's daughter Whitney in a highly-emotional and unsettling storyline. The couple, who have a daughter together, split in 2011 and following their divorce Lisa began a relationship with her current partner, MasterChef judge and host, John Torode.

Lisa will be on screen as Fi Browning in EastEnders on BBC1  this spring.

MasterChef judge John Torode and partner, actress Lisa Faulkner, are open to the idea of hosting their own chat show

MasterChef judge John Torode and his partner Lisa Faulkner have said they're open to taking on a daytime TV show together in the style of Richard and Judy.

The couple are preparing to present their first radio show together as they cover Mel Giedroyc’s Saturday afternoon show on Magic for two weeks.

Talking to Richard Allinson on Magic, the pair were asked about hosting a TV programme together, prompting John to reply: “You never say never, do you?”

The duo also told the host they show their affection for each other with flowers.

John, 51, said: “I think that romance is important, I really do. I think it is really important and I think that there is something about a bunch of flowers.”

Lisa, 44, an actress who competed on Celebrity MasterChef, added: “So I buy him flowers, too. I don’t think it has to always be the boy buying the girl flowers. And he always loves it when I get him some eucalyptus.”

John, who hosts MasterChef with newly-wed Gregg Wallace, 51, also admitted how starstruck he was when Spandau Ballet star Tony Hadley competed on the show.

The chef admitted he was a super-fan when he lived in Australia and said: “The person who really got me was Tony Hadley. I was a boy who used to drive a Toyota car in Australia and his voice used to boom through the back speakers on the back dashboard, and I would know the words and sing out loud.

“One day he turns up in the MasterChef studio and it was like, ‘Wow, that is unbelievable’.”

John and Lisa host a two-part special on Magic from 1-3pm on August 20 and 27.

Anyone who tuned in to watch Wednesday night’s MasterChef could have been forgiven for thinking they were witnessing a live cross to the kitchen of their local chain pub.

The contestants were gunning for a place in Friday’s quarter-final and so when we got dishes of ham, eggs and chips, as well as chicken and cheese, it appeared as though the amateur chefs were setting the bar at 'family-friendly'.

(BBC screenshot)

But then attention quickly changed when John Torode declared that chicken and cheese was weird. At that point Twitter stopped worrying about the food and more about how John could contemplate such a thing – has he not heard of Hunter’s Chicken?

John just said, I may be paraphrasing, "Chicken and cheese is a bit odd." He has just undermined 1000s of students' cooking #masterchef

— Caitlin Jordan (@CaitlinMJ95) April 6, 2016

John says "cheese and chicken is a bit strange" I just want to forcefeed him Hunter's Chicken until he's full of cheese dreams. #Masterchef

— Lorna Mackinnon (@LORNmower) April 6, 2016

Is cheese with chicken strange? Just asking as a friend *cough* is currently cooking chicken stuffed with cheese #masterchef

— Karen Stevens (@kaztigers) April 6, 2016

What's your beef with cheese & chicken? Cheese & chicken is a beautiful thing… @JohnTorode1 #Masterchef @MasterChefUK

— Mark Phillips (@mrkphllps1) April 6, 2016

What do you mean cheese and chicken is a bit strange. You obviously haven't tasted my Drunken Chicken. #Masterchef

— BurySue (@BurySue) April 6, 2016

Cheese and chicken is a bit strange? Sorry, what, @JohnTorode1?! #masterchef

— Kelly Finlay (@kelfin88) April 6, 2016

Cheese and chicken ain't strange. Particularly when the chicken is coated in BBQ sauce and the cheese is melted… #Masterchef

— Chris (@evilcheltdevil) April 6, 2016

It also got us wondering whether John is Australian at all.

The 50-year-old was born in Melbourne, a city that revels in serving chicken parmigiana, and where most pubs have a weekly night dedicated to the predominantly chicken and cheese dish.

And he’s clearly not been to Middlesbrough.

Cheese and chicken strange? Have you ever had a parmo john ?? #masterchef #parmo

— Alice Knight (@aliceknight24) April 6, 2016

"Cheese and chicken's a bit strange" – Wasn't Hunter's Chicken an Australian thing?!?! #Masterchef

— Zarte Siempre (@zarteftw) April 6, 2016

As Twitter calmed down John sprung another shock when he declared Jack’s ham, egg and chips a triumph – it did look pretty good to be fair – even if some viewers weren’t sure.

Some great looking food on #masterchef @MasterChefUK the ham, egg and chips look very nice ;)

— Martyn (@AmateurChefUK) April 6, 2016

Everyone banging on about Champions League, im here watching some fella make ham, egg and chips #Masterchef

— Liam (@liamb0798) April 6, 2016

John was on fire and when he had this conversation about a lack of rice in a curry dish, most of Twitter was done.

"Do you like rice?" "Yeah I like rice". "You like rice? I like rice" "Yeah? I like rice" "Rice?" "Rice" "Nice rice?" "Nice" #masterchef

— Agent Q (@Quaristice) April 6, 2016

Things were getting serious in the MasterChef kitchen as six amateur cooks returned for the second quarter-final in front of judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace, tasked with cooking a piece of fish.

But it wasn’t all that serious on Twitter.

As soon as the Twitterati realised the cooks were being asked to prepare a piece of brill for food critic Charles Campion they just wanted to hear one joke.

I really want someone to say, "that tastes brill"! #masterchef

— Laura (@loggy01) April 1, 2016

They all look brill to me #masterchef *gets coat*

— Rachel Mann (@RevRachelMann) April 1, 2016

The wannabe chefs – Stuart, Julie, Chris, Caron, Tom and Pedro – presented their plates of food for Charles and MasterChef judges.

MasterChef quater-finalists (Shine TV/BBC)

Pedro presented his piece of brill with clams, chorizo, a chive mash and a vermouth and lemon sauce.

And there was only one way for Charles to respond…

“It’s brill! Nice piece of fish.”

And Twitter got just what it wanted.

He said it, he said it!!! "It's brill" ……. #Masterchef #MasterchefUK

— Who's asking? (@HaroldShand1979) April 1, 2016

Charles actually did the brill thing #masterchefuk

— dave lock (@thedavelock) April 1, 2016

"It's brill!" #Masterchef

— CaerTaf (@CliqueCaerdydd) April 1, 2016

Although there was a *slight* conspiracy about why brill was on the menu at all.

"It's brill!" I think Charles picked the fish for everyone to cook just to make that joke #MasterChef #MasterChefUK pic.twitter.com/F3Sc58bSuU

— Jonathan Simms (@JonathanSSimms) April 1, 2016

They've only made them cook with brill for the puns #masterchef

— Jen Peacock (@Jen_Pea) April 1, 2016

"It's brill!" He literally only chose brill as the food so he could make that pun, didn't he. #masterchef

— Jen Steadman (@jenmandates) April 1, 2016

A tense tasting, but Charles thinks it's brill! Get it? #MasterChefUK

— MasterChef UK (@MasterChefUK) April 1, 2016

Unsurprisingly, Pedro made it through to the knock-out stages, along with Stuart and Chris.

Julie, Caron and Tom were sent home.

MasterChef continues on BBC1, Wednesday, April 6, 8.00pm.

MasterChef judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace tell TV Times what they’ve learned from their 11 years presenting the mother of all TV cookery contests.

GREGG

1 Slow and steady wins the race

It’s not the best cook at the beginning that wins the competition – it’s the one that listens and learns the most as they go along. Our 2012 champion Shelina Permalloo had weak presentation to begin with, but she gradually nailed her Mauritian-style food and sailed on to win.

2 Don’t mix business and pleasure

I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve booked to go out for dinner with friends after filming and regretted it. As you can imagine, after tasting contestants’ food all day, all I really want at the end of the day is a glass of water and a boiled sweet. So I try not to book dinner dates, but if I really must, I order a salad. Trouble is, I know so many chefs thanks to MasterChef that they send out extra dishes, making an awkward situation even more uncomfortable.

3 Odd is good

Just because ingredients sound odd together, it’s wrong to write them off. I’ve often been guilty of sneering at someone’s strange-sounding dish, only to taste it and discover it’s delicious. Remember 2011 winner Tim Anderson?

John and I often doubted his inventive combinations would work – cola-braised pork and mocha steak for a start! But he surprised us. It was a good lesson in keeping open-minded.

4 MasterChef has superstar appeal

Every year, when I see the calibre of professional chefs willingly taking part in the show, I’m truly humbled. It’s taught me how respected and highly regarded MasterChef is in the food world. It says a lot for the integrity of the show: it’s not about gimmicks, it’s about people who love cooking and want to show off food for all the right reasons.

That’s why we get access to the best restaurants in the world, and have superstar chefs like Daniel Humm, of Eleven Madison Park in New York, presiding over this year’s finalists’ Chef’s Table. No pressure, people!

5 Taste changes

I’ve learned that palates change over time. I don’t have the sweet tooth I did back in the early days – no, really! I still enjoy a good dessert, but don’t like food too heavy and laced with cream and butter like I once did.

As I’ve become healthier with my personal diet, my palate has changed and I now enjoy eating the lighter food cooked by contestants. I’ve also learned how to not put on weight during filming – hit the gym six days a week!

JOHN

6 Food isn’t frightening any more

I’ve learned the world has become a much smaller place since MasterChef first started. If you look at the variety of food now cooked on it compared to 12 years ago, it’s quite astonishing.

Series one winner Thomasina Miers seemed so daring back in 2005 with her Mexican food, but then fusion began creeping in each series, and now it’s not uncommon to see the same person cook brilliant dishes from Thailand, Spain and France. Contestants experiment. As do viewers at home.

A decade ago not many people had coriander or chorizo in their fridge; they do now. Food has evolved incredibly in 12 series.

7 Gently does it

We quickly learned that after the terrifying experience of walking through the MasterChef doors, it didn’t pay to hit the contestants with a tricky first challenge. Facing the bald fella and me is daunting enough, they didn’t need additional pressure.

So we now get them to cook their ‘Calling Card Dish’ first, food they’re used to making, so they can build up confidence. They perform much better and we benefit too – it means we have less muck to taste!

8 Feel the love

When someone enters the kitchen and uses lots of cheffy terms like ‘sauté’, ‘flambé’ or ‘sous vide’, I’ve learned they’re probably not going to last very long.

They’re thinking more about techniques than about what gets you through to the next round, which is a true love of food. Feeding people – not trying to show off – is true love and, as judges, we can taste that love. Fancy words and methods don’t necessarily impress.

9 Classics rule

Regardless of how inventive a cook is, one thing that holds firm is a classic. You shouldn’t change a Chinese duck that’s been cooked a certain way for 2000 years – the reason it’s been cooked that way that long is because it works! A poached pear is a thing of beauty - it works. An apple pie, done with finesse and a wonderful ice cream – it works. I’ve learned contestants should stay true to certain classics. Stay true to the country and understand the culture it comes from and it’s going to be a far better dish.

10 Rustic is wrong

There’s a difference between cooking at home and cooking on MasterChef. It’s fine to use a ladle to put your chilli or rice in a mound on the plate at home, but not in our kitchen. We want presentation. I’ve learned that anyone who says, ‘it’s got a rustic crunch’ usually means it hasn’t been cooked properly or with enough care.

We want care – and that goes for contestants, too. You can tell what sort of dishes people will create by their appearance – whether it’s going to be smart, artistic or wacky. If I see rustic, unshaven and untidy in anyone or in food I know it’s going to be wrong!

MasterChef returns to BBC1 on Wednesday, March 23

MasterChef’s John Torode is celebrating 20 years on TV with a new series, John Torode’s Malaysian Adventure (Good Food, weeknights).

Here, John reveals to TV Times what he’s learned from two decades on the box…

1. Put yourself out there

"If you want to do anything in life, you’ve got to be bold enough to stand out. That’s how my TV career began. I was a young chef working at Mezzo in London when a TV crew came in to do some filming. As they left I said to the producer, 'If you need anyone again for TV, I’m up for it!' Next thing I know, I’m on This Morning."

2. No one is indispensable

"Saying that, stay humble. A chef once told me to put my hand in a bucket of water and pull it out to see what impression I left. Of course, there wasn’t one. 'That’s the impression you make on the world. That’s how indispensable you are,' he said. As a chef, you’re only as good as the last plate of food you cooked, and it’s the same on TV: you’re only as good as the last series you made."

3. Luggage is very important

"Since making John Torode’s Australia and visiting Argentina for A Cook Abroad, I’ve learned that sturdy suitcases are vital for arriving camera-ready. People assume we have stylists – oh no. You roll off the plane and start filming, so you better have rolled and folded your clothes properly."

4. You never stop learning

"I make a really good Rendang, but didn’t know much about Malaysia before I went to make John Torode’s Malaysian Adventure – the food is bloody awesome! Great food is often borne out of religion and occasions, so with the mix of Chinese, Indian and Malay people all living in one country you can imagine how diverse the food is. I loved travelling through bustling Kuala Lumpur and adored Penang’s vibrant street food."

5. Double acts work if you don’t socialise together

"What’s great about Gregg [Wallace, his MasterChef co-host]  and I is that we lead completely separate lives. We’ve never been to each other’s house, we dress differently, drive different cars – and as such we’ve kept our own opinions. We disagree not because it’s good telly, but because we genuinely have different likes and dislikes. Spend too much time together and you lose your personality. That’s why The Two Ronnies were such a good double act – they were so different. As are Gregg and I. I’ve got hair!"

6. Famous people get starstruck

"People in showbusiness are put on pedestals, but they’re often just normal folk. I remember Tony Hadley coming on Celebrity MasterChef: I was in complete awe until he said, ‘You and Gregg are Gods, you’re brilliant!’. I was like, ‘What?! You’ve got to be joking, mate!' You think they’re famous and they think you’re famous – there’s a clash of who cracks first and gets over it. I do love the celebrity version because you get to see the real person. They can’t cook unless they drop their guard!"

7. There’s plenty of room for all us TV chefs

"Travelling for foodie shows has made me realise how much we don’t know – it’s there to be discovered. That’s why it’s great that Rick Stein adventures around Turkey or I jump in a car and race around South America or Malaysia. There’s so much to see, so many lessons to learn that we’ll never run out of places to go, nor harbour any rivalry. We’re cooks – not rock stars!

"For me, food and travel works beautifully because seeing the pineapple curry I cook in Penang makes viewers feel they’re going on an adventure of their own. The news informs, we offer escapism. Who doesn’t love that?"

Gregg Wallace and fellow Celebrity MasterChef judge John Torode will decide which of this year's finalists take home this year's title this week. We caught up with him to find out which contestants have left him starstruck over the years and how John Torode had to give him a pep talk before his appearance on Strictly Come Dancing last year!

Are we going to be seeing some surprises in this year’s final?

"Yeah definitely. If you'd told me who would be in the final after the first round, I would never have believed you. I didn't see it coming! It's probably not who you might have expected. I really enjoy the later stages because that's when the contestants start to drop the cloak of celebrity and get really competitive."

What will the finalists be getting up to?

"I can't say too much but there's a really tough task where they have to recreate one of John's complex pasta dishes and there were lots of nerves when they faced the restaurant critics! "

Have you enjoyed working on this year’s series?

"It's been great! I can't remember enjoying a show as much as this because we've had some great characters! Keith Chegwin had me in stitches and so did Syd Little – I met him once on a cruise ship and never dreamed he'd end up on MasterChef. Rylan has also been brilliant, I didn't know him before but the man's hysterical!"

Who have been your favourite contestants in years gone by?

"I love rugby so it was great when Phil Vickery and Matt Dawson were on. I couldn't believe it when we got Midge Ure as well because he's a legend. Another personal hero of mine was Paul Young, because I was a big Q Tips fan and he was lead singer. I used to sing their songs in the kitchen when he was cooking! It was brilliant when Spandau Ballet's Tony Hadley was on as well. During lunch one day he called a girlfriend of mine and sang 'True' to her down the phone. It was amazing!"

If one of your heroes is on the show, do you find yourself talking to them all the time while they’re trying to cook?

"Yeah I do, I'm like a little girl meeting the Spice Girls!"

Is it difficult when someone you like has to leave?

"Me and John are both astute and perfectly fair judges, but you can't help warming to some people more than others and I get really disappointed when they mess up and have to go. Bordering on angry even! I'm like 'what's the matter with you! You could have won it!'"

Do you and John often disagree on who should go?

"Yes, all the time! In fact we were at loggerheads over the decision in the final. We weren't seeing eye-to-eye for a long time – it's definitely the closest final yet!"

The MasterChef fans are so passionate, do they often stop you when you're out and about to talk about the series?

"They certainly do. The viewers are so into the show, which is amazing. At the moment I get sent pictures of people's dinner about 30 times a day as well, so if you are thinking of sending me a picture of your dinner that you're very proud of, just consider that it might be the 31st I've seen that day!"

If you could have any celebrity on the show who would it be?

"Terry Wogan. He used to take the mickey out of John and I when we first started so that would be great to return the favour. I've heard that he's a real foodie so maybe we wouldn't get the chance!"

You appeared on Strictly Come Dancing last year, do you think there’s any chance John could follow in your footsteps?

"No, John would never do anything like that! I think he'd be better than I was though as he's a calmer character and wouldn't get freaked out like I did. I was on the phone to him just before the second show because I was so nervous. I said 'John, I'm not very good at this and I'm really scared' but he talked me through it. We've known each other for nearly 30 years and he's a good friend. He told me to keep calm, try to enjoy it and that it wasn't my real job so I shouldn't worry about it too much. He said: 'You're not a dancer you're a judge on MasterChef. I'm not judging you, I'm your friend, I'm proud of you!'"

Do you think you could go on another reality series? How about I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here!?

"It depends how much they pay! I'd be fine with the food though when you consider some of the stuff I've had to eat from some of the contestants on MasterChef!"

Celebrity MasterChef finals week begins on Thursday July 23 at 9pm on BBC1.

As the latest series of BBC1's cookery competition came to an end last night, Simon Wood was crowned MasterChef Champion 2015.

The 38-year-old data manager from Oldham fought off fierce competition from fellow finalists Emma Spitzer and Tony Rodd to lift the coveted trophy. All three had to prepare three course meals to impress judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace at the end of the seven week competition.

And it was his three-course menu featuring octopus, pigeon and a lemon posset that won over the duo.

Wood’s winning menu consisted of: a starter of octopus, served with chorizo crisps, cannellini bean and chorizo salad, brunoise tomatoes and a sherry and smoked paprika vinaigrette; a main course of squab pigeon served two ways – roasted breast, and a pigeon leg bon-bon, stuffed with pigeon leg meat, chicken, mushroom duxelle and Armagnac, served with three types of heritage carrots, pommes parisienne, girolle and trumpet mushrooms, carrot puree, watercress puree and a cassis jus; with a dessert of lemon posset topped with citrus tutti-frutti, charred grapefruit and orange, a lime tuile, limoncello pistachio crumb, edible flowers, tarragon leaves and a lime air.  Yes, you read that correctly.

(Shine TV/BBC)

Wallace, in his discussions with Torode as they decided the winner, said of Wood: “Simon is a class, class act.”

Torode said: “He just keeps on getting better and better.”

(Shine TV/BBC)

Wood, who has dreamed of being a chef since he was eight years old, told the judges: “I’m shaking inside, it’s so surreal, you can’t believe how happy I am. It’s life changing, it’s everything I wanted it to be, and more besides.”

Wallace added: “Simon is brilliant, he’s an incredible talent. He came in here with enormous ambition, he wanted to cook like a chef, and right now he is. I have no doubt in my mind that Simon is going to have a professional career in food.”

(Shine TV/BBC)

Wood’s passion for cooking started when he won a competition to be anything for a day, and chose to be a chef.

He said: “I have been cooking since I could reach the top of the oven, and I always cooked at weekends with my grandma. When I was eight I won a competition where the prize was to have your dream job for the day and mine was to be a chef. Thirty years later who would have thought I would have the MasterChef trophy in my hands.”

Simon Wood winning a cheffing competition aged eight (BBC/PA)

“I have four children and I became a dad at a young age which meant I needed to secure a job where I could financially provide for my children, so my dreams of being a chef were always on the back burner.

“Then after years of sitting watching and wanting to try, but never quite being brave enough or the time not being right I decided to stick my neck out and see if I had what it takes. I decided to enter to prove to myself I could compete with the best.”

He is now planning his future in food. He said: “My dream is to make a living doing something that I love – cooking, and hopefully give people a great memory and experience along the way.”

He is single and has four children, Liam, 20, Alex, 18, Cameron, 16, and Charlotte, seven.

Emma Spitzer served scallops, lamb tagine, and a chocolate tart in the final (Shine TV/BBC)

Viewers have seen Wood cook a celebratory dinner in honour of Sir Winston Churchill, travel across Europe to Sweden and cook on open fires without gas and electricity, cook exceptional fish for two Michelin-starred chef Nathan Outlaw, and in the penultimate show, cook for the Chef’s Table, which was this year presided over by Massimo Bottura, the three Michelin-starred chef of Osteria Francescana fame in Modena, Italy.

Tony Rodd brought sea bass, guinea fowl, and sorbet to the final – plus his very impressive moustache (Shine TV/BBC)

Friday night will see three MasterChef cooks battling it out to be crowned the winner.

Simon Wood, Emma Spitzer and Tony Rodd will be cooking their hearts out in the hopes of winning the show.

They’ve faced seven weeks of tough challenges, all under the watchful eyes of judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace.

Will Simon Wood be crowned the champion of MasterChef 2015? (BBC/Shine)

Thursday night saw them take on the terrifying Chef’s Table challenge, which involved cooking one of three courses on a menu set up by Italian chef, Massimo Bottura.

Their guests at the renowned Chef’s Table were no easy crowd either, comprising of Michelin-starred chefs Marcus Wareing, Daniel Clifford, Andrew Fairlie, Anthony Demetre and Italian chef Francesco Mazzei.

Emma Spitzer hopes to be crowned the champion of the show (BBC/Shine)

Emma cooked the starter, Tony the main course and Simon served up dessert.

While definitely a tense episode, all three finalists performed well, making the run-up to tonight’s final even more exciting.

Also in the top three is Tony Rodd. Is he the next MasterChef champion? (BBC/Shine)

Tony said: “My dream is to make a comfortable living doing something that I love, and hopefully give people a great memory and experience along the way.”

MasterChef screens tonight at 8.30pm on BBC One.

After seven gruelling weeks one amateur cook’s dream of lifting the coveted MasterChef trophy is about to come true. Yep, it’s final week of the hit BBC1 cookery competition with the day (or should that be dish) of reckoning here for the remaining five contestants.

TV Times chats to John Torode, who isn't telling but promises us a fitting finale….

Having survived the toughest culinary challenges of their lives - cook-offs, professional lunch services, even the wrath of formidable perfectionist Monica Galetti – surely this week can’t get much harder?

“Oh, you have no idea. It’s MasterChef – it’s life-changing TV. It’s never going to be an easy ride.”

What’s this series been like for you this year?

“It’s been an exciting one. What’s great is that the British public has grabbed hold of it again. Everyone’s watching it, everyone’s talking about it. To be doing a show that’s still getting six million viewers after 11 series is pretty special. And that’s credit to so many people.”

So what makes the show a success?

“Gregg Wallace and I are who people see but there’s the guy who knocks on our dressing room doors to say we’re ready to film, and the soundman who likes to rip hairs off my chest when taking my microphone off. And, of course, the people who have the guts to fill in that form and come on MasterChef. They keep the show a success.”

Why have you found this series to be the most inspirational yet?

“Because the food they’re cooking is from all over the world. We’re seeing Japanese dumplings, popping candy, fortune cookies – it reflects how people are changing the way they cook, the way they eat.

“Like young Pete cooking amazing Japanese street food – he’s never even been to Japan! But he’s learnt his craft from YouTube, Twitter, going to food markets.

“It’s great to see international food is now the norm – great for us to taste it too. Although I have to say, I’ve had to eat a lot of muck to get to the good stuff we’re at now in final week!”

So what can you tell us about the 2015 MasterChef winner?

“It’s a really pleasant surprise. They step up and push themselves that little bit extra, that little bit more. It’s like Ping, last year’s winner - who’d have thought a bowl of soup with liver would clinch it? That’s what’s great about MasterChef – expect the unexpected.”

What are your personal highlights from this series?

“I thought the new Reinvention Tests in the heats were great because they showed resilience. Like Fran, whose chicken dish wasn’t picked as a favourite so she had to cook for us again. She came back fighting with a chicken, tarragon and fennel pie that was truly delicious. That’s someone I want in the competition. Someone who in the face of adversity can show what they’re made of.

“Cooking at London’s Typing Room restaurant and at Theo Randall at the Intercontinental was a real game-changer for those who got to knockout week.  Their mindset changed: they were under real pressure in a real restaurant with a first-class reputation. The kitchen in the Typing Room was tiny so they had to be so precise and use processes like dehydrating sauces that they’d never done before. Brilliant to watch."

What was it like working with Monica?

“I’d never worked with Monica before, but let me tell everyone out there, she’s as scary as she sounds! If you do a good job, you get praise – do it wrong and beware the wrath of Monica!

"She was great as a guest judge and the look on the contestants faces when they saw her was priceless. She’s got a reputation that lady and it’s well deserved. Boy, can she cook. A real treat to have on.”

Lisa Faulkner says winning Celebrity MasterChef completely changed her life – because it gave her another career and a new boyfriend.

The actress was crowned queen of the kitchen in 2010, but said she had never expected to do well at cooking.

“I took on three jobs at the same time as MasterChef," she says. "I thought I would only be in it for a day, but I ended up in it until the end. That was amazing in itself.

“It completely changed my life and I haven’t stopped cooking since. It’s been amazing, really.”

Lisa Faulkner and John Torode are now dating (Ian West/PA)

In 2012, Lisa began dating one of the show’s judges, John Torode. She says that despite John being a terrifying judge on the BBC programme, she doesn't get nervous when she cooks in front of him at home.

She says: “Somebody said, ‘So what’s it like at home when you’re both cooking?’ It’s just like we’re both cooking! It’s not like he’s going, ‘Oh, you need to do that’, or, ‘Hurry Lisa, you’ve got five minutes!’.”

The current series of MasterChef continues on BBC1, Wednesday at 8.00pm.

John Torode is not one to hold back on saying what he does and doesn’t like about some of the dishes served up on MasterChef.

But the straight-talking Aussie chef has insisted he would never dare criticise girlfriend Lisa Faulkner’s cooking.

John said: “Can you imagine me going to somebody’s house, or to Lisa, and saying, ‘Well I think this would work, maybe if you did this…’ That would be the rudest thing in the whole world.”

John Torode and Lisa Faulkner have been dating since 2011 (Chris Radburn/PA)

The couple met when Lisa won Celebrity MasterChef in 2010 and began dating in 2011.

He said: “She’s such an amazing cook. She’s so great and so generous, and she’s pretty good-looking as well. The old man did all right!”

But one person they won’t be having round to dinner is John’s fellow MasterChef judge Gregg Wallace.

John and Gregg host MasterChef together (BBC/Shine TV)

John said: “”We’re like an old married couple who travel away from each other all the time.

“We don’t really spend time together. I have no idea where he is when we’re not filming, we have very different lives, different tastes, we listen to different music," said John. "I’m cool and he’s a bit old and doddery!”

MasterChef returns to BBC1 on Tuesday 10 March at 9.00pm.

Former EastEnders star Sophie Thompson has been crowned winner of Celebrity MasterChef.

In what was described by judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace as an “incredible” final, 52-year-old Sophie came out on top, and said she has had the “best fun” after triumphing over model Jodie Kidd and presenter Charley Boorman.

Sophie said with a big smile: “Winning feels like a very guilty pleasure. Jodie and Charley have both been robbed but I’m an utterly chuffed tea leaf.

“I can’t Adam and Eve it! Thank you so much, this has been the best fun. It’s ridiculous winning something like this. The trouble is, if you put it in your kitchen, you could be hoisted by your own petard, if you serve up something a bit naff!”

She added: “It's awesome, honestly, it’s mad. It’s M for mad... the whole thing’s been mad.

“I really feel so thankful to all the people whose recipes I’ve used and abused. I’ve just relished the endeavour of the whole kitchen adventure, and all the contestants and the MasterChef team have been proper fantastic.”

Speaking about her food, John said it was “original, exciting, daring”.

“I think she’s a force to be reckoned with,” John added.

Gregg said: “Sophie’s food is very much like her, it’s original, it’s individual, it has a style, it’s different. She creates some absolute delights on a plate, they look like little stories to me - they just look amazing.”

Sophie’s winning menu consisted of a starter of roulade of duck stuffed with juniper berries and served with sweetcorn puree, wild m ushrooms and a wild mushroom and port sauce, a main of oven-roasted brill with a pepper crust, seared scallops, black pudding, samphire, a chive and butter sauce and chorizo oil, and a dessert of steamed cherry pudding served with butterscotch sauce, crushed pistachios and brandy ice cream.

“Nobody designs dishes like Sophie,” said Gregg. “Nobody I know successfully puts those flavour combinations together like Sophie. It’s a little bit wacky in a very, very good way.”

Of her Celebrity MasterChef experience, Sophie added: “Beside the salt and pepper for me now there’ll always be MasterChef... my new condiment. I feel very lucky and amazed.”

Gregg Wallace will swap rum babas for the rumba when he joins Strictly Come Dancing as a celebrity contestant, reports a Sunday paper.

And the MasterChef judge, famed for his “cooking doesn’t get tougher than this” catchphrase, is having four tattoos removed before squeezing into Strictly’s tight, sequinned outfits.

Gregg has undergone several courses of laser treatment to get rid of a Millwall FC lion on his chest, a spider on his leg, a bulldog on one arm and the cross of St George on the other.

A source said: “Gregg is determined to clean up his act.

“There’s been a lot of bad press over the past couple of years - from the hotel brawl last year to his string of young women - but Gregg wants to reinvent himself for Strictly, which is a family show.

“He see this as a perfect opportunity to change the public’s perception of him,” reports the Sunday People.

Gregg, 49, punched a fellow diner during a boozy five-course meal at a Worcestershire hotel last August.

He said publisher Paul Bates had grabbed girlfriend Anne-Marie Sterpini’s bottom.

He said afterwards: “I did what any bloke would do.”

Three-times divorced Gregg has been dating Anne-Marie, 22 years his junior, for over a year.

The pair, who live together in Kent, met on Twitter.

Gregg also met his previous girlfriend, glamour model Cara Franco, and third wife Heidi Brown on the social networking site.

He split from the former teacher after just 18 months of marriage.

The dad of two is already a big fan of the dance contest. He said in a previous interview: “I’d like to do it, so you [the BBC] wouldn’t have to pay me.

“I just need the time. I’m a great dancer.”

Gregg is currently on TV judging Celebrity MasterChef.

And fellow judge, chef John Torode, agreed, saying Gregg was a “far better dancer” than him.

Judy Murray, 54, mum of tennis ace Andy, and Alan Hansen, who has just retired from the BBC as a football pundit, are also in the frame for the new series of Strictly Come Dancing, which is due to start on BBC1 in the autumn.

The final of Celebrity MasterChef begins on BBC1, Thursday, July 17, 9.00pm.

Thomasina Miers has revealed how when catching recent instalments of MasterChef she marvelled at how things had changed since she won the BBC contest in 2005.

“It feels like we were in the dark ages when we were doing it,” said 38-year-old chef Thomasina, who founded the popular Wahaca Mexican street food chain after being crowned winner.

"I remember cooking for the army and putting some basil in my rice pudding because I thought it would give it a nice perfume, and Gregg [Wallace] going, ‘What the hell are you doing?’

“Now, you wouldn't think twice; you get basil ice cream all over the place.”

The mother-of-two, who has just released her latest cookbook, Chilli Notes, admitted she had “never cooked any” of the type of dishes now conjured up in the MasterChef finals.

“I find that type of food very male, anyway - very molecular [gastronomy],” she adds. “There are a lot of male chefs in this country now doing ultra-precision kind of cooking, which is really clever and amazing and brilliant.

“But I guess, as a female and as a mother, I'm more interested in this idea of food as being for everyone - feeding people, providing nutrition, that everyday purpose of food.”

These days, when she isn't working at her restaurant chain, writing books or appearing on TV, Thomasina happily spends time with her husband and two young daughters; she has a three-year-old and a 16-month-old.

She also enjoys eating out to keep on top of new food trends - although the slim star confesses she’ll “always order chips if they're on the menu”.

Celebrity MasterChef continues on BBC1, Thursday, July 10, 9.00pm

Lisa Faulkner has gone to the seaside for Coastal Cottage, a four-part cookery series on ITV’s This Morning.

It’s been four years since Lisa walked away with the Celebrity MasterChef trophy, and since then her life has changed beyond recognition.

A model and actress who shot to fame in such TV shows as Brookside, Holby City and Spooks, Lisa made a dramatic career U-turn after winning the reality series, devoting a larger portion of her time to cookery.

She’s now written two successful recipe books - Recipes From My Mother For My Daughter and The Way I Cook… - and presents shows such as Channel 4’s What’s Cooking? and regular slots on ITV’s This Morning.

Lisa, 41, who has an adopted seven-year-old daughter, Billie, and is in a relationship with MasterChef judge John Torode, will host a new four-part series on This Morning called Coastal Cottage.

Here, Lisa talks about her new summer-themed cookery strand, her plans for a third book and what John really thinks of her cooking…

So, about Coastal Cottage…

“We filmed Comfort Cottage at the beginning of the year, which was dedicated to comfort foods, and viewers loved it. So we decided to do Coastal Cottage, focusing on seaside foods. I was based at a beautiful cottage in Devon and spent my days making scones and jam, fudge and Cornish pasties. It was heaven,”  Lisa told the Daily Express.

What’s your best cooking advice?

“There are always things left at the back of your fridge or cupboard. One of those is natural yoghurt. I’ve created some really easy recipes that use it, such as chicken tikka curry and banana muffins.”

Do you feel cooking is a better fit for you than acting?

“I’ve always cooked but I now do it as a job, too, which is fantastic as I feel at home in the kitchen. But I still love acting and if the right script came my way, I’d jump at it.”

Do you have plans to write any more cookbooks?

“I’m so proud of my books. Writing them is a real labour of love. And, yes, I’m now in the middle of a third one.”

Would you like your own restaurant?

“I always have these dreams, but let’s see.”

Have you been watching John on the new series of Celebrity MasterChef?

“I’ve been so busy that I haven’t had time! I’m going to have to catch up.”

Do you get nervous about what you serve John?

“John is the least scary person to cook for.”

Who does most of the cooking?

“It depends whether I’m at his house, or he’s at mine. Most of the time we go out to eat!”

What’s next for you?

“I’m taking some of the summer off to be with Billie. And I’ll be finishing my book.”

This Morning, ITV, Monday-Friday, 10.30am

There’s an EastEnders versus Coronation Street element to this summer’s Celebrity MasterChef, which will see a star-studded line up from the worlds of music and show business slicing and dicing, chopping and candy-popping and creaming and preening (the food, not themselves) as they battle it out to be crowned Celebrity MasterChef 2014 champion.

Ex-Eastenders Todd Carty (Mark Fowler), Emma Barton (Honey Mitchell), Alex Ferns (Trevor Morgan) and Sophie Thompson (Stella Crawford) are in the mix, along with former Coronation Street favourite Ken Morley (Reg Holdsworth).

There’s also a dash of Holby City in the shape of Tina Hobley (who was also in Coronation Street) and Leslie Ash.

The other celebrities making up the 20 contestants are: I’m A Celebrity… winner Christopher Biggins, former Waterloo Road star Amanda Burton, singers Kiki Dee and ex-JLS star JB Gill, actor/director Jason Connery (son of Sean), presenters Alison Hammond and Tania Bryer, astrologer Russell Grant, adventurer Charley Boorman, dancer/choreographer Wayne Sleep, former super model Jodie Kidd, author/presenter Susannah Constantine (one half of Trinny and Susannah) and Made in Chelsea’s Millie Mackintosh.

”Each year we approach Celebrity with a mixture of fear and hope - will any of them actually be able to cook? It is often a terrifyingly rocky road to get from the early disasters to the real hard core-cooking talent. This year will not disappoint!” said Karen Ross, creative director of programme-maker Shine:Soho.

Executive Producer for the BBC, Carla-Maria Lawson said: "This year's series promises some real surprises as our celebrity hopefuls swap stage, screen and catwalk for the kitchen. Be prepared to see a very different side to some well known faces as the competition heats up!"

The series will air over six weeks in 13 episodes. The first four heat weeks will see task masters and judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace concentrate on whittling down the celebrities, testing their abilities until only the best eight go through to the fifth and semi-final week.

Semi-final challenges will include cooking for Shakespeare’s 450th Birthday, the Great British Recipe Test with expert Rosemary Shrager as guest judge, and the first-ever Relay Invention Test, as two teams have just one hour to collectively cook a single dish.

The sixth and final week will see the remaining cooks draw on all their skills as they face the notorious restaurant critics, and a daunting outside challenge at London’s Olympic Park. 

This year’s 90-minute final is a double-whammy as the three best celebrity cooks first have to face the most terrifying of Chef’s Table’s hosted by Francesco Mazzei and feeding none other than the Italian cooking-mafia - Antonio Carluccio, Aldo Zilli, Theo Randall and Giorgio Locatelli.

Then they will return to MC HQ to cook their best three-course meal for John and Gregg, before they decide who the true cooking star is and worthy of becoming Celebrity MasterChef 2014.

The winner will follow in the footsteps of previous winners Ade Edmondson, Emma Kennedy, Phil Vickery, Lisa Faulkner, Jayne Middlemiss, Liz McClarnon, Nadia Sawalha and Matt Dawson.

Celebrity MasterChef will air on BBC1 this summer.

MasterChef's Gregg Wallace has revealed the dodgy food they have to taste on the show often makes fellow judge John Torode unwell.

The 48-year-old former greengrocer insisted to chat show host Alan Carr he has a tough constitution while the Aussie chef ends up running to the bathroom.

Gregg revealed: "Some cooks on MasterChef are rubbish. I am normally all right. I am never ill. But John normally goes to the bathroom straight after we finish.

"After filming, sometimes, he goes, 'Right, now that's over, I am going for an enormous ****'."

The pair also revealed on Alan Carr: Chatty Man they had never been round to each other's houses for dinner.

John said: "I've never been invited. Look, we go to work, we do a job, then we part company. Usually Gregg disappears without saying goodbye. But we do spend about 200 days a year together. That's enough. I like him, but..."

Gregg added: "You can't just keep that going in your private lives as well. We do share each others' problems. Well, I tell John mine."