COMEDIAN Vic Reeves, Olympic gold medallist Rebecca Adlington and Debbie McGee, the widow of Paul Daniels, are among the stars lined-up to compete in this year’s Celebrity MasterChef.
They will be joined by TV presenter Ulrika Jonsson, pop star Rachel Stevens, Scottish snooker champion Stephen Hendry and singer Patti Boulaye.
French tennis ace Henri Leconte will also be among the 20 famous faces hoping to serve up culinary perfection on the BBC One show.
Also hoping to hit the right note in the kitchen will be opera singer Lesley Garrett, Union J’s Jaymi Hensley and TV presenter Angellica Bell.
The small screen will not be short of actors hoping to see if they can master another skill as Outnumbered’s Tyger Drew-Honey, soap and film actor Brian Bovell and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels star Nick Moran.
Over the course of six weeks, the group will be whittled down to one winner, who will be decided by returning judging duo John Torode and Gregg Wallace.
Other celebrities who will have their kitchen abilities challenged include comedian Abdullah Afzal, Radio 1’s Dev Griffin, children’s TV presenter Barney Harwood and Scottish broadcaster Aasmah Mir.
Completing the line-up is Gogglebox’s Reverend Kate Bottley and presenter Julia Somerville.
During the first four weeks the stars will be competing in groups of five and they will have to tackle the Mystery Box Challenge and prove they can cope with anything as they are thrown into hot water when they cook in a professional kitchen for paying customers.
The five then return to the MasterChef kitchen, where they will have to prepare a two-course meal for the judges. One contestant is sent home at the end of each episode.
Other challenges facing the successful contestants as they progress in the competition include a skills and knowledge test and a mass catering challenge where they will have to cook for large numbers of people at venues which include The Oval cricket ground, King’s College Dental Institute and the Francis Crick Institute.
The battle for a place in the semi-finals will also see them having to cook for past Celebrity MasterChef winners, including last year’s champion Alexis Conran.
During a 90-minute finale, the three finalists will face the Chef’s Table, led by Michelin-starred chef Jason Atherton.
BBC commissioning editor Carla-Maria Lawson said: “Celebrity MasterChef is an astonishing test of culinary ability from people who are not recognised for their talents in the kitchen.
“Every year we are blown away by celebrities’ gastronomic prowess and this year doesn’t disappoint.
“The line-up is one of the strongest we have ever seen and we hope it will entertain and tantalise viewers in equal measure.”
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