Who is in Celebrity MasterChef 2017? Meet the new contestants including Vic Reeves, Henri Leconte and Rachel Stevens
Get celebs updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email
There’s such a thing as too many cooks – but not when it comes to Celebrity MasterChef.
Twenty stars will be sweating like onions in a pan as they prepare dishes under pressure, with relentless chatter from judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace.
The first five challengers are comic Vic Reeves, snooker player Stephen Hendry, newsreader Julia Somerville, presenter Angellica Bell and finally – although he hopes not last on the leader board – French former tennis champ Henri Leconte.
(Image: BBC)
When does Celebrity MasterChef start?
Celebrity MasterChef starts on BBC1 on Wednesday at 8pm with the second episode airing on Friday 18 August at 8:30pm.
Full Celebrity MasterChef line-up:
Comic Vic Reeves
Snooker player Stephen Hendry
Newsreader Julia Somerville
Presenter Angellica Bell
French former tennis champion Henri Leconte
Paul Daniels’ widow Debbie McGee
Opera singer Lesley Garrett
TV presenter Ulrika Jonsson
Olympic swimming gold medallist Rebecca Adlington
Gogglebox’s Rev Kate Bottley
Former Hollyoaks actor Brian Bovell
Comedian Abdullah Afzal (Citizen Khan)
Actor and Radio 1 DJ Dev Griffin
Outnumbered star Tyger Drew-Honey
CBBC presenter Barney Harwood
Pop stars Jaymi Hensley, from Union J, and Rachel Stevens
Radio 4 presenter Aasmah Mir
Singer, actress and artist Patti Boulaye
Actor and director Nick Moran
In the first episode, viewers will see five celebrities dive straight into the first course – but it’s less ‘Let’s cook’ and more ‘Let’s perform’.
There’s dancing, lots of mugging to the camera (that’s you, Vic ‘Give me my own cookery show’ Reeves!), and Angellica wailing: ‘Gregg, get out of my kitchen!’
(Image: BBC)
But their antics can’t disguise their food failings.
The mystery ingredient challenge throws Stephen off his stride and Angellica can’t tell lamb from beef. Vic serves up an experimental garlic and rhubarb chutney – ‘Mmm, yummy,’ says, er, no one.
(Image: BBC)
And you won’t ever want to try Julia’s lamb stew. ‘I’ve brought up two children and they haven’t died yet,’ she says, stoically.
(Image: BBC)
Then they’re off to a London restaurant. The stars hoping to survive to the semis learn to say ‘Yes, chef’ and how to use liquorice salt.
But who’ll find the recipe for success – and who’ll be hanging up their apron and catching the bus home?