Celebrity MasterChef 2026 start dates confirmed by BBC as new line-up takes to kitchen

It's almost time...

Emily Campbell, Jason Mohammad, Shakira Khan, Joe Pasquale and Jay McGuiness stood in a row wearing white aprons, smiling ahead.

BBC/Shine TV

Published: Wednesday, 5 August 2026 at 5:16 pm

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The BBC has confirmed when Celebrity MasterChef will be making a return to TV screens, and there isn't very long to go.

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Now in its 21st season, the MasterChef kitchen will be welcoming a star-studded line-up of famous faves from the worlds of music, drama, comedy, sport and showbiz.

Across five weeks, the celebrities will be pushed beyond the comfort of their showbiz jobs and the challenges commence on Tuesday 18 August at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer.

It will be followed by two more episodes on Wednesday 19 August at 9pm and Friday 21 August at 8pm.

Stepping up to the challenge in heat one is Emily Campbell, Jason Mohammad, Shakira Khan, Joe Pasquale and Jay McGuiness.

Followed by Donna Preston, Emily Steel, Eric Underwood, Nitin Ganatra and Tom Simons in heat two, along with Lauren Steadman, Max Fosh, Melvin Odoom, Sue Cleaver and Una Healy in heat three.

Max Fosh, Melvin Odoom, Una Healey, Lauren Steadman, Sue Cleaver all stand in a line wearing MasterChef aprons in front of the Masterchef logo

Celebrity MasterChef 2026 heat three - Max Fosh, Melvin Odoom, Una Healey, Lauren Steadman, Sue Cleaver. BBC/Shine TV

This year's Celebrity MasterChef will also look quite different to what fans are used to, with Giorgio Locatelli joining Grace Dent as a new judge.

With a career spanning four decades, Locatelli is considered one of the foremost chefs in the UK and one of the most recognised Italian chefs in the world. He first earned a Michelin star in 1999, getting his second soon after in 2003.

Locatelli said: "Hosting Celebrity MasterChef alongside Grace is a real honour. I can’t wait for you to see what our celebrity contestants bring to the kitchen, as we are really putting their culinary skills to the test in this series."

Dent, who hosts the regular version of MasterChef alongside Anna Haugh, added: "Giorgio Locatelli is a fabulous addition to our UK Celebrity MasterChef team. I'm a long-time admirer of his work and was a huge fan of Locanda Locatelli; for many years, it was one of my happy places to eat.

"I couldn't be happier to combine our shared joy, passion, and expertise for food. I also love an opportunity to serve up a heavy dose of glamour in the MasterChef kitchen, and I have a feeling Giorgio is going to give me a real run for my money."

Celebrity MasterChef begins on Tuesday 18 August at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer.

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Authors

Black and white cut-out portrait headshot of Katelyn Mensah, smiling against a lime green background.

Katelyn MensahSenior Entertainment Writer

Katelyn Mensah is the Senior Entertainment Writer for Radio Times, covering all major entertainment programmes, reality TV shows and the latest hard-hitting documentaries. She previously worked at The Tab, with a focus on reality TV and showbiz news and has obtained a BA (Hons) in Journalism.

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