CELEBRITY MASTERCHEF 2023 CROWNS ITS WINNER

Opera singer and broadcaster Wynne Evans has been crowned the 2023 Celebrity MasterChef Champion, becoming the 18th person to claim the coveted title on BBC One’s celebrity cooking competition.

After facing off the talents of 19 other celebrities, BBC Wales presenter Wynne triumphed at the end of six nail-biting weeks, which culminated in an intense cook-off against his fellow finalists, actor Amy Walsh and reality star Luca Bish. Wynne was awarded the revered Celebrity MasterChef trophy this evening (Friday 8th September) by judges Gregg Wallace and John Torode.

Reacting to his win, Wynne said: “This is a brilliant feeling. The kids will love this, they’ll be like ‘Dad! I can’t believe you did it when all you cook for us is beans on toast!’ The experience has totally changed my life. It has just been beautiful and I can’t thank Gregg and John and everybody here at MasterChef enough.

“When you start to believe in yourself, that’s when good things start to happen. I don’t know how a MasterChef winner celebrates but I know how a bloke from Carmarthen celebrates!”

Gregg Wallace said: “Wynne gives us theatre. I have never seen a celebrity like him ever before and I’m not sure we ever will again.”

While John Torode added: “Every single dish tells a story. His food, it’s exciting, it’s ambitious, and it’s got a little bit of artistic flare. He’s a proud Welshman with a big heart.”

In the final episode, Wynne, alongside Amy and Luca, had two hours to present a flawless three-course meal, cooked to the very highest standards to impress the judges.

His winning menu featured a starter of Carmarthen-Japanese sumo tuna tartare with avocado, edamame beans and wasabi, served with deep-fried cockle popcorn and a mango egg; followed by a main course of bread of Evans cannon of lamb, served on samphire with wild garlic, porcini mushrooms and lamb rendered fried bread, with pomme dauphine and a fondant leek, finished with a red wine and red currant jus; and for dessert, Bara Brith with Caerphilly cheese and fig jam, served with brie ice cream on crumbled Bara Brith and poached figs.

While describing his winning menu, Wynne said: “I think these dishes represent everything that I am – local produce, stuff that I can easily get at home, and everything that I like to eat.”

Celebrity Masterchef is available on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.