Emma Willis has confirmed her return to ITV's Cooking With The Stars for a sixth series, while also taking on presenting duties for Strictly Come Dancing this year. The 50-year-old broadcaster made her debut on the BBC programme alongside Johannes Radebe and Josh Widdicombe, following the departure of long-standing hosts Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly.
Return to the Kitchen
Willis will present the new series of Cooking With The Stars alongside Tom Allen. Speaking about the upcoming series, she 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!"
Celebrity Line-Up and Format
The show features 12 celebrities competing to improve their cooking skills, with assistance from professional chefs. This year's cast includes 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.
The series will be expanded to 10 episodes. Willis noted that there is no competitive tension among the celebrities: "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
Willis teased that viewers can expect some cooking mishaps: "We definitely have a few burnt bottoms this season...pans, not humans." Co-host Tom Allen added: "One potato dish got described as wall paper paste. But I'll name no names."
Willis admitted her own cooking skills have not improved despite years on the show: "Each year, I watch them in the kitchen and think, right, I'm going to expand my small repertoire and then I don't."
Cooking With The Stars series 6 starts on ITV1 and ITVX on Monday, October 5 at 7.30pm.
