Emma Willis is returning to her role as host of Cooking With The Stars on ITV, just as her debut series of Strictly Come Dancing airs its first live show on BBC.
The 50-year-old presenter made her Strictly debut this year alongside co-hosts Johannes Radebe and Josh Widdicombe, replacing longtime duo Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly. Now she is back on ITV with Tom Allen for the sixth season of the culinary competition.
Emma Willis on the new series
Opening up about the show, Emma said: “I thought it was brilliant. The show is watched by a multi-generational audience so it’s always nice when you have a line-up that everybody can relate to.”
She added: “There were a couple of people who I thought, I’m not sure how they’ll fair in the kitchen… but then they turned out to be fantastic so just goes to show, never judge a book by its cover. Unless it’s a cookery book!”
Addressing her own cookery skills, Emma admitted they were “exactly the same” after six years of fronting the series. She explained: “Each year, I watch them in the kitchen and think, right, I’m going to expand my small repertoire and then I don’t.”
Celebrity line-up and format
The show sees celebrities put their cooking skills to the test, transforming from amateurs to gourmet chefs with mentoring from renowned chefs, serving dishes to judges.
This year’s super-sized season features 10 episodes and 12 celebrities, including Scarlett Moffatt, Dame Laura Kenny, Caroline Quentin, Karen Hauer, Seann Walsh, Zara McDermott, Harry Akines-Aryeetey, Mark Charnock, Joey Essex, Bez, JB Gill, and Lesley Joseph.
Harry and Karen, who were on Strictly together, reunite on the show, but Emma said there were no ballroom rivalries. She said: “There really isn’t a real competitive streak amongst the celebrities. Everyone wants to progress and do well but it’s more for their chefs, to make them proud.”
What to expect this season
Emma teased some kitchen mishaps: “We definitely have a few burnt bottoms this season…pans, not humans.”
Co-host Tom, 43, added: "One potato dish got described as wall paper paste. But I'll name no names."
Emma has been a mainstay on screens this year after hosting Love Is Blind UK over the summer and then Strictly Come Dancing, with Cooking With The Stars marking her latest project. Cooking With The Stars series 6 starts on ITV1 and ITVX on Monday, October 5 at 7.30pm.
