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Michelin star chef Giorgio Locatelli joins Celebrity MasterChef
Michelin-starred chef and restaurateur Giorgio Locatelli is set to join the judging panel of Celebrity MasterChef, bringing his rigorous culinary standards to the BBC spin-off programme.
The 63-year-old, renowned for his role on the Italian version of the amateur cooking show, will now sit alongside restaurant critic Grace Dent.
Locatelli, whose appearance in the upcoming 21st series has already been filmed, announced the news on the podcast Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware. He described his judging approach, stating: “I think I was a bad cop. I’m strict. Strict about cleanliness and organisation. Those little skills that you teach them slowly.”
Reflecting on the celebrity contestants, he noted the unique dynamic compared to aspiring professional chefs. “We’re working with celebrities which is different from working with people who wanted to be a chef, but still, you can really see them growing in what they do, and so this is the thing that interests me more on the whole experience.”
He hinted that one star particularly impressed him, adding: “There was somebody who really surprised me a few times in the positive.”
The chef also observed a distinct difference in performance based on the celebrities’ professional backgrounds. “The people who worked in entertainment found it so difficult to cook to the time. The sportspeople always hit the time. Their life is run by time. While the other people are all about creativity.”
Locatelli’s arrival follows significant changes to the judging line-up.
He joins after TV presenter John Torode was dismissed from the BBC following allegations of using racist language, which were upheld as part of the Lewis Silkin report.
Torode had appeared in the most recent series alongside Dent, who herself replaced TV presenter Gregg Wallace after his sacking due to a series of misconduct allegations during his time on the show.
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The spin-off series challenges celebrities to test their culinary skills under the watchful eyes of the judges, culminating in one star claiming the Celebrity MasterChef trophy.
Previous winners include professional dancer and choreographer Vito Coppola in 2024, and RuPaul’s Drag Race UK winner Ginger Johnson, whose real name is Donald Marshall, in 2025.
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