Much anticipation has built over the new hosts at the helm of the new era of MasterChef. Grace Dent and Anna Haugh were appointed as hosts late last year following the exits of Gregg Wallace and John Torode which saw the culinary programme caught up in a storm of controversy.
Like many long-running programmes trapped at the centre of contention, many have wondered whether MasterChef should return at all, or whether newish faces could invigorate the show with a fresh new zest. So, with Dent and Haugh having long been part of the MasterChef family, having appeared as guest judges over the years, how do they fare together?
Tonight’s episode (21 April) saw the pair come together as they welcomed a new cohort of amateur cooks to the MasterChef kitchen and judged their dishes, alongside the help of some familiar faces from last season.
After two decades of Torode and Gregg at the helm, it’s natural that all eyes have been on Haugh and Dent, but they effortlessly pulled off an intense first episode, offering wise words of encouragement to the cooks and a genuine interest in the food being presented before them.
The pair exude professionalism, and it’s clear they know what they’re talking about, often offering guidance to some of the chefs, even at times when they might be unsure on the type of dish being made.
But if there’s one thing tonight’s episode has proved, it’s that MasterChef has done an impressive job at putting the contestants back at the heart of the programme – moving past the headlines of the past year.
Throughout the hour-long episode, viewers were introduced to six chefs as they took on the signature dish round, the classic recipe test and a final round to reach the quarter-final. And it’s during these rounds that viewers learn more about each cook, including wholesome stories about their families and how they found a passion for cooking.
While Haugh and Dent feature throughout the episode, this new series has put contestants at the forefront, a refreshing change that has been largely overlooked amid the noise of the previous hosts’ exits.
Both Haugh and Dent have acknowledged that the show is much bigger than themselves, or any one host attached to it over the years, something they discussed in a recent interview with Radio Times.
“Well, it’s bigger than any one person,” Haugh said, “and the contestants are brilliant. The show is a reflection of them.”
Dent added: “I don’t feel I am ‘picking up’ after anybody. I’ve been going to work every day at the helm of the most important food show, probably in British television history. I think I’m doing well. There is no way I’d show up a year ago on that set and begin to work in the manner that I did, while looking backwards.”
To have women at the helm of one of the BBC’s most popular programme is an impressive feat, an increasing trend on the BBC’s top shows (The Traitors, Strictly Come Dancing), and long may it continue.
MasterChef returns on Tuesday 21 April at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
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