The new series of Celebrity MasterChef will see stars including former S Club 7 star Rachel Stevens, Olympic champion Rebecca Adlington and comedian Vic Reeves put to the test in the kitchen.
The 12th series of the BBC One cookery competition begins tonight, with 20 budding celebrity cooks battling it out in a bid to impress judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace.
Joining Stevens, Adlington and Reeves are TV presenters Angellica Bell and Ulrika Jonsson, snooker champion Stephen Hendry and singers Patti Boulaye, Lesley Garrett and Union J’s Jaymi Hensley.
French tennis ace Henri Leconte is another of the hopefuls, along with Paul Daniels’ widow Debbie McGee, Outnumbered’s Tyger Drew-Honey, film actor Brian Bovell and Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels star Nick Moran.
Completing the line-up is Gogglebox’s Reverend Kate Bottley, presenter Julia Somerville, comedian Abdullah Afzal, Radio 1’s Dev Griffin, children’s TV presenter Barney Harwood and Scottish broadcaster Aasmah Mir.
The series’ debut episode will show Reeves – who is competing under his real name Jim Moir – go up against Bell, Hendry, Leconte and Somerville for the first heat.
They will first tackle the Mystery Box challenge, during which they will prove they can serve up a dish based on surprise ingredients, before being thrown into hot water in a professional kitchen.
Upon their return to the MasterChef studio, the five celebrities must then prepare a two-course meal for the judges before one of them is sent home.
The winner of the series will join the ranks of previous Celebrity MasterChef champions, including Kimberly Wyatt, Lisa Faulkner, Ade Edmondson, Sophie Thompson and Emma Kennedy.
:: Celebrity MasterChef airs at 8pm on Wednesday August 16 on BBC One.
