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Celebrity MasterChef is back, with 15 new stars set to enter the famous kitchen.
Last year saw RuPaul's Drag Race star Ginger Johnson take the title but it's now time to see who will succeed her crown when the 21st series kicks off later this year.
This year's line up combines celebs from the worlds of music, drama, comedy and sport, all of whom have a common goal – becoming the Celebrity MasterChef 2026 Champion.
Viewers will also get to see Italian chef Giorgio Locatelli make his debut, with the Michelin-starred restaurateur replacing sacked John Torode and joining Grace Dent as a judge on the show.
Over the course of five weeks Giorgio and Grace will oversee the contestants as they're put through their paces with a series of culinary challenges.
So who's taking part in Celebrity MasterChef 2026?
Emily Campbell
AGE: 32
JOB: Weightlifter and Olympic Medallist
WHY THEY'RE TAKING PART: 'I’ve always been a massive fan of the show and always wanted to be on it!
'I love cooking and love food and really want to challenge myself in the culinary space. I’m confident in the kitchen, but there’s a lot I want to know.
'My good friend Kadeena Cox won the show, and it inspired me to give it a go - we are bonded by food! Life’s too short not to challenge yourself!'
Jason Mohammad
AGE: 52
JOB: TV and radio presenter
WHY THEY'RE TAKING PART: 'I love food and I’m passionate about feeding people. Some of my greatest memories in my life have been surrounded by food, especially after Ramadan.
'Tables full of food at Eid and feeding and eating with my fellow Muslims at my mosque during Eid celebrations. But also, very special Christmases and birthdays have been memorable because of the food we had.
'I take a lot of pride in feeding people. I love to see the joy in their faces once I have fed them. I also enjoy being fed.'
Jay McGuiness
AGE: 36
JOB: Musician, actor and author
WHY THEY'RE TAKING PART: 'My [The Wanted] bandmates Tom [Parker] and Max [George] had a great time on the show, and I was so impressed watching them!
'I like challenges and learning new things. What’s the worst that could happen?'
Joe Pasquale
AGE: 64
JOB: Comedian, actor and author
WHY THEY'RE TAKING PART: 'I love a good challenge. I don’t like to be in shallow water; I love the deep end… and I love the adrenaline that goes with pushing yourself out of your comfort zone.
'I’m a huge fan of the show and have watched it for many years. I really hope to learn something as I’ve always fancied myself as a bit of a chef as I love to experiment but never had the confidence to pursue it.'
Shakira Khan
AGE: 23
JOB: Reality star and influencer
WHY THEY'RE TAKING PART: 'I’m always up for a challenge and I love cooking, but I’m a simple cook. I’m good but I want to go out of my comfort zone and learn "sick recipes", it will be fun.
'I want to make my family proud and show the flavours I grew up with. I also want to prove to myself that I can improve and surprise people.'
Donna Preston
AGE: 40
JOB: Actress and comedian
WHY THEY'RE TAKING PART: 'It’s a dream of mine! I want to do MasterChef to learn, to challenge myself, to work under pressure.
'I would absolutely love that trophy, but I’m really excited about the apron.'
Emily Steel
AGE: 23
JOB: TV Gladiator aka Dynamite
WHY THEY'RE TAKING PART: 'I love experimenting with recipes and ideas I find it so enjoyable cooking for other people - I’m really into presentation, and I always want to pair my food with a mocktail or nice drink.'
Eric Underwood
AGE: 42
JOB: Presenter & former Royal Ballet dancer
WHY THEY'RE TAKING PART: 'Ballet dancers and food do not go naturally together but I want to change that perception.
'I love cooking and entertaining - well I give it a go, and I’m very willing to learn and put effort into it.
'I live on a farm with my husband and we’re hoping to get into ‘farm to table’ - we grow our own veg and have cows, chickens, sheep, bees, we make our own honey'.
Nitin Ganatra
AGE: 59
JOB: Actor
WHY THEY'RE TAKING PART: 'I’m doing it for my mum who I was extremely close to. She was the best cook in the world. Food is first in our family.
'The first question she always asked was, “what do you want to eat?”. I’m a vegetarian and pre-diabetic; therefore, I have recently undergone a food revolution where I have explored cooking to utilise it in the healthiest way.'
Tom Simons
AGE: 22
JOB: YouTuber and stand-up comedian aka TommyInnit
WHY THEY'RE TAKING PART: 'I’m excited because it looks like great fun, and I think I can make some basic but creative meals.
'I’m not a great cook but I will try really hard. It’s my first time on a proper TV show!'
Lauren Steadman
AGE: 33
JOB: Paralympic athlete: paratriathlon
WHY THEY'RE TAKING PART: 'I can compete in sports to a very high level and handle the pressure, I love to challenge myself and constantly learn new things.
'Being on Celebrity MasterChef would push my boundaries and hopefully give me the confidence that I can cook! It’s very different cooking for loved ones to stepping up and having the food critically analysed.
'It is also a show I have watched many times and enjoyed seeing how people craft their interpretation of food and flavours – it’s very individual and I like that. Also, quite risky as it could go very wrong!'
Max Fosh
AGE: 31
JOB: YouTuber & comedian
WHY THEY'RE TAKING PART: 'I’ve done outrageous food videos for my career, like cooking a steak using lightning bolts, but it’s time I learnt a new skill.
'Plus, my parents love MasterChef and will be proud of me!'
Melvin Odoom
AGE: 46
JOB: DJ & presenter
WHY THEY'RE TAKING PART: 'I’ve lived alone for years so I only cook for myself… I want to show off my cooking skills and see if I’m any good.
'I’d love to improve my skills, and it looks like a fun show. I can cook for one, but it’s hard for two or more, this is a real test.
'My cooking will be like my DJ’ing - I don’t DJ for myself, I DJ for the crowd.'
Sue Cleaver
AGE: 62
JOB: Actor and Loose Women star
WHY THEY'RE TAKING PART: 'I really love the show and want to learn! Other people say I’m good, so we’ll see!'
Una Healy
AGE: 44
JOB: Singer
WHY THEY'RE TAKING PART: 'To learn as much as I can about food, and I like to challenge myself. It’s a great opportunity as I really like to cook!'
Celebrity MasterChef returns later this year on BBC One and iPlayer