As a long-time connoisseur of both cinema and cuisine, I must admit that the appointment of Grace Dent as the new judge for “Celebrity MasterChef” has left me absolutely delighted! Having grown up with the show, it’s heartwarming to see someone who shares my passion for good food stepping into such a prestigious role.

Food critic Grace Dent has taken over the position of judge on “Celebrity MasterChef,” replacing Gregg Wallace who stepped down due to past misconduct accusations.

For more than ten years, Dent has been a frequent guest on the BBC’s cooking competition. Now, he will team up with John Torode as a judge in the upcoming 20th series of the show. This news was released during a challenging time for the franchise, as the BBC decided to cancel its holiday specials following Wallace’s contentious reaction to misbehavior accusations.

Dent has been a fan of ‘MasterChef’ since she was a young girl, watching it with her father on the couch. Now, the entire family follows the show. For Dent, being in this role is far beyond just a dream because it represents uncovering and championing talent.

Torode commented: “Over the years, I’ve really enjoyed collaborating with Grace on ‘MasterChef’. She’s been a fantastic guest judge, a motivational critic, and she’s come up with some truly remarkable tasks.

Dent boasts impressive culinary background, encompassing an acclaimed restaurant review column for The Guardian, a nine-season stint as host of the popular celebrity food podcast “Comfort Eating”, and competing in the 2023 edition of “MasterChef: Battle of the Critics”. Furthermore, she has penned over 20 books on various culinary topics.

Kalpna Patel-Knight, who heads entertainment at the BBC, considered Dent to be an ideal selection. She pointed out Dent’s well-established role within the “MasterChef” crew and her esteemed status as a globally recognized food critique.

After BBC News looked into accusations of inappropriate sexual remarks made by Wallace over a period of 17 years (from 2005 to 2022) across five different shows and involving 13 people who worked with him, the appointment comes following his decision to step back from the show. Banijay U.K., the production company, is currently investigating these claims, which Wallace’s legal team asserts are completely unfounded.

The new season of “Celebrity MasterChef” with Dent is set to air in 2025.

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2024-12-18 14:16