The BBC has confirmed that Celebrity MasterChef will return for its 21st series, with three guest judges joining the regular panel. Paddy McGuinness, Zoe Ball, and I'm a Celebrity winner Morgan Burtwistle, also known as Angry Ginge, will each appear during one of the three contestant heats.
Guest Judges and Premiere Date
The new series will launch on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Tuesday, August 18. A first-look trailer has been released, showing the celebrities entering the MasterChef kitchen.
According to the official synopsis: "The red carpet rolls into the MasterChef kitchen for a glittering line-up of celebrities from the worlds of music, drama, comedy, sport and showbiz. This 21st series warmly welcomes singers and sports stars, actors and authors, to comedians, entertainers and presenters, all with the aim of cooking their way to becoming Celebrity MasterChef 2026 Champion."
Format and Challenges
The series will feature five weeks of challenges, pushing celebrities beyond their comfort zones. The guest judges will set bespoke culinary briefs and have the power to send contestants through to the quarter-final or home.
Giorgio Locatelli, a Michelin-starred chef, and food critic Grace Dent will return as the main judges. The BBC describes their tests as 'a sensory assault course'.
Contestant Line-Up
Welsh presenter Jason Mohammad is among the contestants, appearing in the opening week alongside Olympic medallist Emily Campbell, Love Island star Shakira Khan, comedian Joe Pasquale, and Strictly winner Jay McGuiness.
Other contestants include comedian Donna Preston, Paralympian Lauren Steadman, Gladiator star Emily Steel, YouTuber Max Fosh, DJ Melvin Odoom, and former EastEnders actor Nitin Ganatra. The line-up also features former Royal Ballet dancer Eric Underwood, actress Sue Cleaver, YouTuber Tom Simons (TommyInnit), and singer Una Healy.
Competition Structure
The first three weeks consist of three heats, with five celebrities each. The top four from each heat advance to the quarter-final. Week four features semi-finals, leading to finals week where the winner takes home the iconic trophy.
