Melvin Odoom has been asked to leave Celebrity MasterChef after the final quarter-final of the series aired on Friday, September 4. The DJ and TV personality was sent home by judges Grace Dent and Giorgio Locatelli, while Lauren Steadman, Max Fosh and Sue Cleaver secured their places in the semi-finals.
Team challenge and French menu
The celebrities faced a new challenge set by Grace and Giorgio: for the first time in the competition, they had to work in teams to produce a three-course meal in just 90 minutes. The judges took their seats as the teams prepared a classic French menu featuring steak tartare with melba toast, duck breast with orange sauce and mash, and floating islands to finish.
TV personality, rapper and chef Big Zuu then gave each celebrity one of his favourite recipes to recreate, but only three could advance to the next round.
Melvin's exit and reaction
Lauren Steadman was the first to make it through to the semi-finals, but it was Melvin who was sent packing by Grace and Giorgio. Giorgio told Melvin: "To see you cooking is incredible. Those Melba toast were memorable!" Grace added: "Melvin, thank you. Your time in the MasterChef kitchen is now over."
Addressing his exit, Melvin said: "That's sad. I have had a great time. I've learnt loads, I've laughed loads. It has been an absolute blast. Melvin O-Boom is out."
As Sue, Lauren and Max celebrated becoming semi-finalists, Giorgio warned: "I would like to remind you, it's going to get tougher from here so prepare yourself."
Why Melvin signed up
Melvin, who recently announced he is leaving BBC Radio 1 after seven years, previously explained why he joined the show. He said: "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."
He added: "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."
Melvin also noted: "I'm by no means a gourmet cook, but a good cook with the basics! I'm influenced by my Ghanaian/West African background, we use a lot of flavour. My presentation isn't always the best as when I'm hungry, I tend to just whack food on a plate."
Celebrity MasterChef continues Tuesday, September 8 at 9pm.
