The official Celebrity MasterChef 2022 line-up has been announced and we can’t wait to see the biggest names in showbiz impressing the judges with their culinary creativity.
From boxing icon Chris Eubank to Strictly Come Dancing professional Katya Jones, 20 celebrities will be throwing themselves in several challenges with judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace critiquing their every move.
Broadcast over six weeks, the celebrities will tackle a series of cookery challenges to follow in the footsteps of reigning champion Kadeena Cox and win the coveted MasterChef title.
But which stars will be competing for the grand prize, here’s everything you need to know.
Adam Pearson
Age: 37
Adam is known for his work with outreach programmes supporting people with neurofibromatosis – a genetic condition that causes non-cancerous tumours to grow on nerve tissue.
Faye Winter
Age: 27
The reality star found fame after appearing in season seven of Love Island. Faye finished in third place with boyfriend Teddy Soares.
Katya Jones
Age: 33
The Strictly Come Dancing professional has been part of the BBC flagship programme since 2016.
Ryan Thomas
Age: 38
The actor is best known for playing Jason Grimshaw in Coronation Street from 2000 to 2016 and later won the final ever Celebrity Big Brother.
Jimmy Bullard
Age: 43
Jimmy is a former footballer and currently co-hosts the Saturday morning Sky Sports show Soccer AM. He was also a huge hit on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! in 2014.
Paul Chuckle
Age: 74
Paul Elliot, better known as Paul Chuckle, was part of the comedy double act The Chuckle Brothers with his late brother Barry.
Kirsty Gallacher
Age: 46
Kirsty first started her presenting career at Sky Sports News in 1988 and last year joined GB News as presenter of the Breakfast show until she took a ‘step back’ from the channel.
Danny Jones
Age: 36
Danny is one of the lead vocalists in pop band McFly, who can boast seven number one singles including Five Girls In Her Hair and All About You.
He’s also one of the judges on The Voice Kids alongside Pixie Lott and will.i.am.
Chris Eubank
Age: 55
Chris held the WBO middleweight and super middleweight boxing titles between 1990 to 1995 and also took part in ITV’s I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! in 2015.
Nancy Dell’Olio
Age: 60
Nancy is an Italian-American lawyer and a media personality who became a household name as the partner of former England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson.
She also took part in series nine of Strictly Come Dancing.
Richard Blackwood
Age: 50
Richard is best known now for playing Vincent Hubbard on BBC soap EastEnders but was a hugely popular TV presenter in the 90s and 00s, before launching a pop career with his debut single Mama Who Da Man, which got to number 3 on the Official Single’s Chart.
He’s currently starring in Hollyoaks as Felix.
Lisa Snowdon
Age: 50
Lisa is best known as a TV presenter and a fashion model who regularly features on This Morning sharing style tips.
She’s also appeared on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! and made it all the way to the Strictly final in 2014.
Clarke Peters
Age: 70
Clarke is somewhat of an acting legend and is best known for his roles as Lester Freamon in HBO’s The Wire.
He’s also starred in His Dark Materials and will be featuring in the upcoming Marvin Gaye biopic, Sexual Healing.
Cliff Parisi
Age: 62
Cliff played Minty Peterson on EastEnders between 2002 to 2010, before he joined the main cast of BBC’s huge drama Call The Midwife.
Kitty Scott-Claus
Age: 30
Kitty – real name Louis Westwood – appeared on the third series of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, making it all the way to the final.
She’s a total hun and could well be a force to be reckoned with.
Queen MoJo
Queen MoJo is a reality TV star who has appeared on Peckham’s Finest and Celebrity Karaoke Club.
Lesley Joseph
Age: 76
Actress Lesley is best known for playing Dorien Green in Birds of a Feather alongside Linda Robson and Pauline Quirk.
Birds of A Feather is one of the most popular British comedies of all time, often being viewed by more than 12million viewers at its peak.
Mel Blatt
Age: 47
Mel is a singer known for being a member of the chart-topping girl group All Saints, who achieved five number one singles.
She was also judge on X Factor New Zealand and is now a popular DJ.
Kae Kurd
Age: 32
Kae is a stand-up comedian who has written for different news and politics titles.
He gained huge popularity following his successful show Kurd Your Enthusiasm at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2017.
Gareth Malone OBE
Age: 46
Gareth Malone is a choirmaster and broadcaster, bets known for teaching people how to sing on BBC’s The Choir. He also achieved a Christmas number one single with the Military Wives in 2011.
And it looks like he might have an advantage overt the other contestants as he won his episode of The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up to Cancer.
This year will see the return of challenges Under The Cloche, The Street Food Challenge and Dinner Party Dish in the four-week heat round before the top celebrities face the semi and final week stages.
Katie Attwood, MasterChef series editor, said: ‘Celebrity MasterChef is a firm favourite in the television must-see calendar and this series is as funny, engaging and nail-biting as ever. John and Gregg are in for a treat, as are our viewers.’
Sarah Clay, commissioning editor for the BBC, added: ‘This line up will absolutely cement Celebrity MasterChef as one of the nation’s most loved cookery programmes, with a lot of laughter alongside fierce competition guaranteed. The level of cooking is fantastic this year and you can really see how much it means to them all.’
Celebrity MasterChef will return to BBC One this summer.