GRACE DENT TO JOIN JOHN TORODE FOR REGULAR MASTERCHEF FOLLOWING CELEBRITY SERIES

The Sun newspaper reports that Grace Dent is to join John Torode as judge for the regular series of MasterChef when series begins this Autumn.

Earlier this year Dent was announced to be replacing Gregg Wallace on Celebrity MasterChef after the presenter was sacked following allegations of inappropriate behaviour. Dent has been a regular guest on MasterChef for over a decade, as well as competing as a contestant on last year’s MasterChef: Battle of the Critics 2023.

Grace is a best-selling author and chart-topping podcaster, with a career in journalism spanning the past 15 years, as well as regularly appearing in food-centred TV and radio shows over the past decade.

A source told The Sun: "Grace is a natural fit for the show as she is also hosting Celebrity MasterChef alongside John. Grace loves to support up-and-coming talent in the industry and loves the format of the show. Filming is expected to start at the end of the summer through December. They are also filming at new studios in Birmingham so it will be a fresh start all round."

As she prepares to judge the upcoming 20th series of Celebrity MasterChef this Summer with John, Grace says: “I’ve been watching MasterChef since I was a girl sitting with my dad on the sofa. My whole family watches it. It’s all about uncovering and championing talent and to have ended up in this position, is more than a dream to me...

"I’m so excited that I can’t eat, which is severely detrimental to a restaurant critic. I feel very lucky to be stepping in for the next Celebrity MasterChef. I can’t wait to meet the fresh celebrity faces for 2025.”

John Torode says: “I have loved working with Grace on MasterChef over the years. She has been an excellent guest, an inspiring critic and also set some incredible challenges. Expertise is what MasterChef is all about, from the contestants to our wonderful production team, to us as judges. The love of food, the love of MasterChef, and that unquestionable expertise, makes Grace the perfect person to step in alongside me as judge for the forthcoming Celebrity MasterChef series.”

Celebrity MasterChef will air later this Summer on BBC One and iPlayer.