Celebrity MasterChef viewers were left baffled by John Torode's appearance in the new series, which returned on Monday, months after he was axed from the show. The Australian chef was dropped in July following allegations he used “extremely offensive racist language” in 2018 – claims he has “no recollection” of.
Before his exit, the 60-year-old had filmed the Celebrity series alongside new judge Grace Dent, 52. The BBC said it was not a “straightforward decision” to air the episodes, but every contestant and guest had given their blessing. Despite this, fans expressed shock on social media, with one writing on X: “I thought John had been sacked as well?!?!”
Torode was accused of saying the N-word while singing along to Kanye West's song Gold Digger at a work gathering. He said he was “shocked and saddened” by the allegation. In a recent Instagram post, he insisted he is “moving on” and has “nothing to prove”.
Dent and chef Anna Haugh will take over as the new presenting duo for the 2026 series. Torode's former co-host Gregg Wallace, 61, also left MasterChef last November after an internal investigation upheld 45 allegations about his conduct.
