Giorgio Locatelli will be joining Grace Dent as a new judge on the upcoming season of Celebrity MasterChef.
The revamped series returns to BBC One and iPlayer this summer, with Locatelli already a part of the wider MasterChef franchise, having featured as a judge on the Italian version of the show since 2018.
With a career spanning four decades, Locatelli is considered one of the foremost chefs in the UK and one of the most recognised Italian chefs in the world. He first earned a Michelin star in 1999, getting his second soon after in 2003.
His career has also taken him beyond the kitchen and into the world of TV presenting, having hosted Italy Unpacked and Sicily Unpacked, both for BBC Two.
Locatelli said: “Hosting Celebrity MasterChef alongside Grace is a real honour. I can’t wait for you to see what our celebrity contestants bring to the kitchen, as we are really putting their culinary skills to the test in this series.”
Dent, who also hosts the regular version of MasterChef alongside Anna Haugh, added: “Giorgio Locatelli is a fabulous addition to our UK Celebrity MasterChef team. I’m a long-time admirer of his work and was a huge fan of Locanda Locatelli; for many years, it was one of my happy places to eat.
“I couldn’t be happier to combine our shared joy, passion, and expertise for food. I also love an opportunity to serve up a heavy dose of glamour in the MasterChef kitchen, and I have a feeling Giorgio is going to give me a real run for my money.”
The latest batch of famous faces taking on the culinary challenge in the MasterChef kitchen will be announced in due course.
Kalpna Patel-Knight, head of entertainment commissioning at the BBC, commented: “Giorgio’s culinary expertise, Michelin-starred pedigree, and serious passion for food, coupled with the dynamism that both him and Grace bring to the screen, putting the celebrities through their culinary paces, is not one to be missed. Viewers can expect a truly delicious series.”
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Celebrity MasterChef will return to BBC One and iPlayer this summer.
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Authors
Katelyn Mensah is the Senior Entertainment Writer for Radio Times, covering all major entertainment programmes, reality TV shows and the latest hard-hitting documentaries. She previously worked at The Tab, with a focus on reality TV and showbiz news and has obtained a BA (Hons) in Journalism.
