MasterChef Series 21: All The Details

New episodes of MasterChef last aired in spring 2024, a bumper edition celebrating 20 years of the British cooking competition as we know it. Here’s what we know about its return in 2025, including who will take up Gregg Wallace’s empty seat on the judging panel.

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MasterChef Series 21: Everything We Know So Far

The BBC has finally revealed a premiere date for MasterChef series 21: the action will commence on 6 August, bucking a 20-year trend of the competition kicking off in spring. The news follows a tumultuous period at the British broadcaster, with both presenters Gregg Wallace and John Torrode in hot water amid separate conduct investigations.

When headlines about Wallace’s alleged sexual misconduct emerged, series 21 was in the middle of filming – hence the phrasing he would be ‘stepping aside’ for the time being. Most recently, the BBC seemed to be considering editing Wallace out of the footage production company behind MasterChef, Banijay UK, had captured. But a couple of weeks ago, separate allegations against co-host John Torrode also came to light, throwing the whole series up into the air. Would MasterChef ever return? And what would happen to the contestants who took part in series 21, filmed in August 2024?

Despite the furore and uncertainty, we always knew MasterChef series 21 would air regardless of the outcome of the investigations into Wallace and Torrode’s conduct: the BBC was always reluctant to take a ‘life-changing’ opportunity away from the chefs selected for the series. A new statement from the BBC underscores this sentiment: ‘After careful consideration and consultation with the contestants, we have decided to broadcast the amateur series of MasterChef on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 6 August,’ a spokesperson says. ‘MasterChef is an amazing competition which is life-changing for the amateur chefs taking part. The focus of it has always been their skill and their journey.

‘This has not been an easy decision in the circumstances and we appreciate not everyone will agree with it,’ the statement continues. ‘However, we believe that broadcasting this series is the right thing to do for these cooks who have given so much to the process. We want them to be properly recognised and give the audience the choice to watch the series.’

The spokesperson added that airing the series ‘in no way diminishes our view of the seriousness of the upheld findings against both presenters’. ‘We have been very clear on the standards of behaviour that we expect of those who work at the BBC or on shows made for the BBC,’ the spokesperson says.

Jimi Famurewa, Grace Dent & Tom Parker-Bowles guest judging MasterChef. (© BBC/Shine TV)

Who Will Host?

John Torrode and Greg Wallace will co-host and judge the first few episodes of MasterChef series 21. When Wallace was asked to step aside, Irish chef Anna Haugh stepped into his shoes at the last minute, so you can expect her to appear later in the series. Haugh has previously appeared on MasterChef as a guest judge, so she was well-placed to offer the contestants feedback.

As for a permanent replacement, Grace Dent is a rumoured option after stepping in for Celebrity MasterChef, though BBC bosses have ‘not yet taken a decision’ on whether the series, filmed earlier this year, will ever air. The same is true of the Christmas special.

Whatever happens, it seems the BBC has no plans to cancel MasterChef. The spokesperson describes the cooking competition as ‘a brilliant, much-loved programme which is bigger than any one individual’. We will update this page when we find out more about the series’ future judges.

‘There are many talented, dedicated and hard-working people who make the show what it is,’ the BBC spokesperson continues. ‘It will continue to flourish on the BBC and we look forward to it returning stronger than ever in the future.’

Guest Judges

MasterChef is renowned for attracting high calibre guest judges, and series 21 is no different. The heats are typically judged by former contestants, with last year’s winner Brin Pirathapan returning to judge heat one. Other familiar faces to recognise in the first few episodes include 2019 champion Irini Tzortzoglou, 2013 winner Natalie Coleman, 2020 champ Thomas Frake and plenty more.

But the quarter finals are where the food industry’s more famous faces come into play. The first will be Telegraph restaurant critic William Sitwell, who will set the brief for the first quarter final (episode 3): using a sweet ingredient to cook a savoury dish, or a savoury ingredient in a sweet dish.

The second quarter final (episode 6) will be manned by Guardian food columnist, broadcaster and author Grace Dent, who we’re told will task the contestants to rustle up the perfect picnic.

That’s all we know so far; stay tuned for more.

MasterChef series 21 Heat 1 contestants: Shaun, Penelope, Gon, Beth, Thea & Gemma. (© BBC/Shine TV)

Who Competes?

MasterChef contestants come from all walks of life; the only requirements are that they are a UK resident over the age of 18 not working as a chef or earning their main income from preparing food professionally (that’s what MasterChef: The Professionals is for). Otherwise you just need a passion for food and a desire to embark on a culinary journey.

Day jobs tend to vary. The contestants for the first two heats have been revealed, and we have everyone from a vocal coach to a Thai boxing coach, a writer to a landscape gardener.

When Is MasterChef Back?

MasterChef series 21 kicks off tonight (6 August) at 8pm on BBC One, followed by episode 2 at the same time on Thursday 7 August, and the shorter third episode (the heat one and two quarter final) on Friday 9 August at 8.30pm. The first three episodes are available now on BBC iPlayer.

This pattern will repeat every week for five weeks, and then we’re into the Knockouts where the competition really heats up. Usually two people are knocked out each episode until only three remain in the final.

MasterChef is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

WATCH

Find out more about how MasterChef works in our full guide to the series.