Celebrity MasterChef Christmas Cook Off kicked off this evening (Tuesday 21st December) with the first set of celebs entering the kitchen in a bid to impress judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace.
Stepping up to the plate for the first episode were Strictly Come Dancing professional Oti Mabuse, reality star Joey Essex, former professional football player Neil Ruddock, comedian Judi Love and actor and national treasure Su Pollard, who are part of the Celebrity MasterChef Christmas Cook Off cast.
After going head-to-head in a series of cooking challenges, Judi Love was crowned the first of two Golden Whisk winners, taking home the new Celebrity MasterChef Golden Whisk trophy.
“Bring on the prosecco and let’s start this party. I am so excited my kids and family are going to be so happy. I am overwhelmed, it is a beautiful feeling and has made my Christmas,” Love gushed after her win.
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Wallace said: “Judi put a whole lot of love into her two dishes. She is a fun, joyous cook who took familiar Christmas ingredients and added Caribbean sunshine to it. It was a real winning formula, it was outstanding.”
Torode added: “Judi kept the heart and the soul of the world she has grown up with in her dishes and she made them fantastic. Good on her.”
Judi’s Christmas-themed menu, which she created in just two hours and 15 minutes, started with a Caribbean Christmas dinner with rolled turkey breast, stuffed with jerk seasoning, parsnip purée, carrots, stuffing, roast potatoes, crispy turkey skin and a cranberry and scotch bonnet chilli jam, which Gregg described as “nothing short of fantastic”.
Judi then presented a Jamaican Christmas Black Cake with a sorrel sauce and a stout and rum punch ice-cream, prompting John Torode to hail it a success, saying: “I love it.”
The final challenge followed the infamous invention test where the group created a dish using ingredients found in a seasonal advent calendar.
Episode two of Celebrity MasterChef Christmas Cook Off 2021 airs on Thursday 23rd December at 9pm. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide. Visit our Entertainment hub for all the latest news.
This year’s Radio Times Christmas double issue is on sale now, featuring two weeks of TV, film and radio listings, reviews, features and interviews with the stars.