Michelin-starred chef Giorgio Locatelli has been confirmed as John Torode's replacement on Celebrity MasterChef. The 63-year-old will join restaurant critic Grace Dent on the judging panel for the BBC show.
Locatelli, who previously served as a judge on the Italian version of MasterChef, described his approach as 'strict' and 'bad cop' during an appearance on the Table Manners podcast. He said he focuses on cleanliness and organisation, and enjoys watching celebrities grow in their cooking skills.
Grace Dent welcomed her new co-star, calling him a 'fabulous addition' and praising his restaurant Locanda Locatelli as one of her 'happy places to eat'. She added she looks forward to bringing glamour to the MasterChef kitchen alongside Locatelli.
The new series has already been filmed. Torode and former co-host Gregg Wallace both left the show in July 2024 after 21 years. The BBC upheld a complaint that Torode used an 'extremely offensive racist term' during production, which he has denied. His contract was not renewed.
Recent winners of Celebrity MasterChef include Strictly Come Dancing star Vito Coppola in 2024 and RuPaul's Drag Race UK winner Ginger Johnson in 2025. Torode's final episode aired in December 2025.
