Celebrity MasterChef: Christmas Cook Off battle

Cooking Christmas dinner can be stressful enough when it’s just for your nearest and supposedly dearest. So, imagine how much worse it would be if you were doing it in front of the cameras, and then John Torode and Gregg Wallace were going to judge your efforts.

Luckily, the famous faces taking part in Celebrity MasterChef: Christmas Cook-Off 2023 can’t claim that they didn’t know what they were letting themselves in for as they are all contestants from previous series.

All Saint’s Mel Blatt was a finalist last year, and her appearance in this festive edition caps of a busy 2023 – she also competed in the recent Celebrity Race Across the World, so going back into the MasterChef kitchen may seem like a breeze in comparison.

She’ll be taking on her fellow pop star Ducan James of Blue, who last wore the apron back in 2021.

Like Mel, actor and comedian Richard Blackwood competed in the 2022 series, as did Love Island veteran Faye Winter.

None of them lifted the trophy in their series (the 2021 champion was Kadeena Cox, while Lisa Snowdown claimed victory in 2022), but now they are hoping to claim the bragging rights that come with being Celebrity MasterChef Christmas Champion. If they are successful, they’ll also take home the ultimate Christmas present – the much-coveted Golden Whisk trophy.

Before that though, they need to wow with two challenges. The first is guaranteed to bring some sunshine into their lives, as they create a dish reflective of Australia during the festive season, where it’s summer.

Using a set of ingredients which are found in their Secret Santa Mystery Box, they’ll whip up something that will hopefully impress not just Gregg Wallace and Melbourne-born John Torode, but also Aussie legend, Peter Andre.

Then for their second challenge, they will whip up their ultimate Christmas dinner using well-known seasonal ingredients. They are free put their own twist on any seasonal favourites, but the two courses must have passion, personality and be packed with yule flavours.

After that, the judges will reveal the identity of the winner, but that isn’t the end of the festive MasterChef fun.

There’s another special due this Christmas in the form of MasterChef: Battle of the Critics 2023. It sees Leyla Kazim, William Sitwell, Jay Rayner, Jimi Famurewa and Grace Dent (who also did a recent stint in I’m a Celebrity) having the tables turned on them as they cook for the judges and returning champions Ping Coombes (MasterChef 2014), Kenny Tutt (MasterChef 2018) and Nikita Pathakji (MasterChef: The Professionals 2022).

The critics know good food when they taste it, but can they make it themselves? How will they take being the ones under scrutiny? And will any of the returning contestants feel like they have a score to settle?

We’ll find out as they go head to head to compete for the coveted Golden Cutlery trophy