MasterChef 2026 contestants: Confirmed cast for season 22

MasterChef is back and ready to fire up and grill a new batch of contestants hoping to impress the judges. There's only one more round of heats so we'll soon be crowning this year's winner.

With Grace Dent and Anna Haugh at the helm as the new hosts, the 22nd series of the BBC cooking competition is making sure this is one to remember.

But who will boil under the pressure and who will quietly simmer as the heats get under way?

With 48 contestants all fighting for a handful of the sought-after white MasterChef aprons, they'll have to whip up something special in order to make it through.

Meet the team of amateur chefs ready to take on the challenge, and why they've decided to do the show.

MasterChef 2026 contestants: Who is competing in series 22?

Heat 7

Dehaja

Age: 30

From: London

Born in Sri Lanka, Dehaja has lived all over the world from South Shields to Vietnam thanks to her Dad's job in the shipping industry.

Her signature fish is a passion fruit and salted caramel choux bun.

"I'm obsessed with choux buns," she said.

Zenub

Age: 33

From: Bolton

Job: Digital consultant

Zenub using cooking as a way of unwinding from her job, blending the flavours of her Pakistani roots with European influences.

Her signature dish is kunafa, a Middle Eastern dessert made from kataifi pastry with a filling of cream and cheese. It will then be soaked with a simple syrup spiced with cardamon and rose water with a pistachio crunch and saffron and pistachio ice cream on the side.

Kirsty

Age: 41

From: Bolton

Kirsty grew up cooking classic British dinners with her Nan. Now, her and her partner enjoy fine dining and take turns cooking their Valentine's Day dinners each year.

Her signature dish is her take on steak Rossini, a fillet steak on top of a brioche crostini with potato fondant, chicken liver pate and a red wine port and madeira jus.

Andy

Age: 26

From: Ballyclare, Ireland

Job: Medical physicist

Andy grew up on the family farm in Ballyclare but now lives in Belfast with his fellow foodie fiancé with whom he likes to share his cooks online.

His signature dish is Irish seafood chowder with a stout and treacle wheaten bread, a traditional Irish loaf of brown bread with oats mixed in.

Ferdinando

Age: 29

From: Naples, Italy

Ferdinando began cooking with his Nonna Margarita when he was young and hopes to transport the judges to Naples with his signature dish which is a deep fried sandwich filled with scamorza, mozzarella and smoked ham with potatoes and fried aubergines crowned with a rich Sicilian sauce.

"Today I'm cooking my Grandmother's breakfast dish, she used to eat thus dish when she working in the fields in the late '70s," he said.

Sean

Age: 39

From: Hertfordshire

Job: Plumber

Sean grew up as one of five brothers by the Kentish coast and now enjoys cooking after work as a way of relaxing.

As to why he entered the cooking show, Sean joked: "It was either MasterChef or go into modelling and I though I had more chance doing this."

His signature dish is herb crusted rack of lamb with fondant potatoes, spiced carrot puree and red wine jus.

Heat 6

Finn

Age: 37

From: Brighton

Job: Builder

Finn splits his time between the UK and Portugal where his fiancé lives, with whom he has three children. His dream is to open a vegetarian food truck.

His signature dish is a chocolate orange tart with za'atar, pomegranate, orange caramel, mascarpone whipped cream, pomegranate gel and chocolate soil.

Larissa

Age: 30

From: Berkshire

Job: Former employment lawyer now working as a career coach

Larissa loves to put a twist on the classic dishes of her Ukrainian heritage using influences from her travels.

"I was very lucky that I've grown up with various cultural influencers in my life and its meant that I've learnt to mix in flavours, not really follow the rules," she said.

Larissa's signature dish is a goat-cheese stuffed Ukrainian dumpling served in dried-mushroom and yeast extract broth, topped with chorizo.

Jeane

Age: 52

From: Manaus, Brazil

Job: NHS worker

Jeane dreams of opening her own cafe which will celebrate the food of the indigenous people of Brazil and bring to England the tastes of the Amazon

Jeane's signature dish is rice in tucupi sauce with sautéed prawns and crisp plantain with farofa on the side.

Mukul

Age: 38

From: Delhi, India

Job: Utility operations manager

Mukul cooks everyday for his wife and young daughter where they live in Edinburgh. He applied for MasterChef after his wife gave him the confidence to do so.

His signature dish is paneer kofta stuffed with nuts and dried cranberries served with a creamy, tomato based sauce.

Gareth

Age: 42

From: Canada

Job: Former athlete now working in aviation

In his career as an athlete, Gareth travelled extensively and experienced new cultures which helped him to develop an international palette.

Gareth's signature dish is seared sea bass on an avocado crema, charred corn, chipotle beurre blanc with homemade tortillas.

Antoś

Age: 29

From: London

Job: Corporate relationship manager

Antoś was taught to cook by his Polish grandma and now likes to elevate the dishes of his heritage.

His signature dish is breaded pork cutlets served with caraway matchstick fries, a beetroot and blackcurrant ketchup and a caraway, beetroot and white wine jus.

Heat 5

Joyce

Age: 54

From: Surrey

Job: E-commerce business owner

Joyce runs her own cake decoration serve in Surrey and used cooking the food of her heritage as a way to connect with her daughters as they were growing up.

"My mum and dad were from Mauritius so lots of food influences – Indian, French, Chinese, but ironically mum never let me in the kitchen. She said it was a 'dangerous place'," she recalls.

Her signature dish is pan fried dumplings with a pork and mushroom stuffing served with a spicy dipping sauce.

Jonathan

Age: 37

From: Harrogate

Job: Cruise ship musician and performer

Jonathan's signature dish is turbot cooked on Spanish potatoes and served with a bisque. The dish is inspired by his first family holiday with his wife and two boys to Cornwall.

Roxy

Age: 37

From: Birmingham

Job: Project manager

For Roxy, food was the family business; her Bangladeshi parents has restaurants on what is now called the 'curry mile'. She applied for MasterChef after her father passed away to continue on his flavours, joy and passion.

For her signature dish Roxy has stuck to her traditions, making a chicken breast filled with herbs with a spiced curry sauce served with basmati rice.

Daniel

Age: 46

From: Newport, Wales

Job: Actor, writer and vintage car builder

Daniel's signature dish is braised tongue underneath a swede blanket with pea fricassee and a toasted pureed swede over the top with some grated chocolate.

Viltė

Age: 28

From: Lithuania

Job: Artist

Despite having lived in Kent since she was seven, Viltė's dishes continue to be inspired be the cuisine of her homeland Lithuania.

"I would spend every summer back in Lithuania. Me and my grandmother would peel a lot of potatoes. There would be a lot of potato dishes," she said.

Her signature dish is potato latkes with fried vermicelli in a creamy chanterelle sauce, which she described as "elevated grandmother cooking."

Jamie

Age: 33

From: Glasgow

Job: Senior product manager for a bank

When he's not working, Jamie enjoys baking for his mountaineering club. He entered the competition as he has a dream of opening a little boutique highlands hotel where he will elevate Scottish foods.

Jamie's signature dish is dry-aged Scottish sirloin with triple cooked chips, creamed spinach, caesar salad and a whisky peppercorn sauce.

Heat 4

Naomi

Age: 31

From: Newcastle

Job: Warehouse designer

Naomi's family travelled around the country with her dad's job when she was a child, and she learnt to cook from her mum.

Naomi's signature dish is braised beef in cinnamon and beef stock with baba ganoush and fattoush.

Anisha

Age: 26

From: Birmingham

Job: Digital engineer

Anisha was inspired to cook from an early age by her father, who was a restaurateur and chef.

Her signature dish is Turkish lamb manti dumplings, with a roasted garlic yoghurt, a homage to her husband.

Lenford

Age: 35

From: St Lucia

Job: Coastal engineer

Lenford grew up in St Lucia and played international rugby for the island's team. He now lives in London but will be bringing the spirit of St Lucia into the kitchen.

His signature dish is a St Lucian Sunday lunch, consisting of stewed lamb, mac and cheese, roasted plantain and coleslaw.

Kristen

Age: 40

From: Australia

Job: Communications director

Kristen moved to the UK when she was 21 and is a self-confessed culinary magpie who has collected and developed her food style based on where she has travelled and lived.

Her signature dish is cured sea bass with Thai flavours of kaffir lime and Thai basil and coriander, paired with a smoked coconut milk, a cumber and herb granita and a whipped cod's roe.

Adam

Age: 24

From: County Down

Job: PhD student

Adam grew up in a small fishing village outside Belfast and he dreams of following in the footsteps of other great Irish chefs by championing the food of his homeland.

His signature dish is a treacle and Veda bread tart with an orange mascarpone cream and a walnut brittle.

Simi

Age: 59

From: Iran

Job: Retired

Originally from Iran, retired nursery teacher Simi has lived in the UK for 30 years. Her dream is to run a supper club which celebrates the culture, story and flavours of Persian cuisine.

Her signature dish is lamb shanks with tahchin and Shirazi salad.

Heat 3

Rebecca

Age: 56

From: Lincoln

Job: Advertising

Rebecca has been a pescatarian since she was a teenager, and dreams of owning a small independent cafe.

Her signature dish is a paneer curry with an egg, a nod to her mother who was famous for her curries that always included an egg.

Yuvi

Age: 24

From: Warwickshire

Job: AI consultant

From a young age, Yuvi's parents introduced him to flavours from all over the world which inspired him to experiment.

His signature dish is a trio of duck, consisting of smoked duck breast, duck liver mousse beignet and sautéed duck hearts, along with a cherry balsamic coulis.

Tony

Age: 46

From: Yorkshire

Job: Dairy factory worker

Tony shares his passion for cooking with his 10-year-old son, and they both watch MasterChef together. It was Tony's son who pushed him to apply for the show.

His signature dish is a roast dinner, but elevated to the next level.

Matt

From: London

Job: PhD student

London born Matt has British, Canadian and east Asian heritage and when cooking at home, he loves to draw on the Japanese flavours he grew up with.

His signature dish is poached sea bream with spicy tomato and brown crab sauce.

Leia

Age: 36

From: Puerto Rico

Job: Medical writer

Leia was taught to cook by her grandmother, where her passion to cooking stemmed from. Her signature dish is a plantain lasagne with short rib ragu.

Alexia

Age: 32

From: London

Job: Travel consultant

Alexia's travels have inspired her to cook different cuisines, often putting a twist on things.

Her signature dish is beer battered aubergine with a satay sauce.

Heat 2

Jim

Age: 45

From: Derbyshire

Job: Music producer

For Jim, cooking is his wind down time after work. His signature dish is a pan-seared Iberico pork with a manchego croquette and romseco sauce,

Amy

Age: 64

From: Massachusetts

Job: Humanist wedding celebrant

Amy spent 20 years as a US diplomat living and working in the Middle East and Africa, where she dived into their culture via food.

Her signature dish is a pistachio Persian love cake with Persian rose water and saffron ice cream.

Maddie

Age: 28

From: Southampton

Job: Tattoo artist

With a love for home cooked classics, Maddie dreams of one day having her own food truck. Her signature is based on the first dish she ever made that people requested she made again, a king prawn and scallop Alfredo with homemade tagliatelle.

Luca

Age: 34

From: Italy

Job: Flight operations controller

Luca was inspired to take up cooking after travelling the world as a flight attendant and working on cruise ships.

His signature dish a classic risotto with a twist, including a ras el hanout, a blend of spices from Morocco. He will serve that with mint and lemon pesto and a side of beetroot sauce and beetroot cubes.

Maria

Age: 40

From: London

Job: Advertising executive

Maria grew up in a family of food lovers and still shares recipes with her older sisters.

Her signature dish is a mix between her two sisters' favourite desserts, making a baked doughnut with a grilled pineapple marinated in lime and chilli with a ginger custard.

Michael

Age: 34

From: Wolverhampton

Job: Stay-at-home dad

Michael learned how to cook watching videos online and in 2014, he catered for his own wedding and now as a stay-at-home dad, he cooks daily for his wife and family.

His signature dish is a Parmigiano risotto with short rib braised in a pressure cooker with dandelion and burdock.

Heat 1

Brendan

Age: 57

From: Essex

Job: Construction project company director

Brendan has loved cooking since he was a child, with one of his first memories being helping his mum and parents make Christmas dinner.

He now considers the kitchen his "happy place", and likes to show his love for his family through the meals he makes them.

Speaking ahead of the series, he said: "Over the years, many people have said I should enter the competition, especially my wife and children, so back in 2020 I entered for the first time and decided that I would keep on entering every year until I made it onto the show.

"Five years later it happened and my long-term dream became a reality - definitely a major thing on my bucket list ticked!"

Jhané

Age: 29

From: North London

Job: Tech program manager

Jhané grew up in Islington with her family, and found her passion for food from her mum, who loved hosting guests and friends in their home for dinner parties.

She says her cooking style is all about bold flavours, fresh ingredients, and portions as big as possible.

"For me, the best meals happen when everyone is reaching over each other for a second helping and sharing stories," she said. "I want my food to be the loud, messy centrepiece of a great night and fun party.

"When I cook, it’s not so much about tweezers and dainty garnishes and more about high heat, fresh herbs, and lots of chilli."

Jhané hopes that MasterChef will give her a platform to turn her love of cooking into a career.

Matt

Age: 41

From: West Yorkshire

Job: IT manager

Matt admits he was a late bloomer when it comes to learning how to cook, considering himself a picky eater when he was younger.

He finally found a passion for whipping up meals during the COVID lockdown in 2020, and since then has been enjoying experimenting with recipes.

Matt takes pride in dishes that are flavour-driven, combining small elements together for something special, and hopes to inspire others to do the same.

"Cooking has quietly become a huge part of my life, and I reached a point where I thought why not push myself and see how far I can take it? MasterChef feels like the perfect challenge," he said.

"It forces you out of your comfort zone and tests your creativity and technique."

Rosdip

Age: 33

From: North Shields

Job: Digital portfolio manager

Rosdip grew up in Nepal before relocating to the UK at the age of 17. His cooking style is heavily influenced by his Nepalese heritage, and he takes pride in creating dishes from the heart.

He credits his mum for helping him learn how to create delicious dishes from minimal ingredients, and his Scottish partner Gregor for introducing him to a new mix of flavours.

His dream is to bring his Nepalese cuisine to a global stage.

"I’m talking about generational home-cooking that usually only lives in memory of family members, without any recipe books," he explains.

"In near future, I would absolutely love to serve the North-East community refined home cooked Nepali dishes that deliver nostalgia and bold, authentic flavours without compromise, so they get a taste of Nepal and my heritage!"

Sabina

Age: 49

From: Greater London

Job: Environmental consultant

Sabina grew up in Gulshan, Dhaka, but now lives in London with her husband and two teenage children.

She loves to experiment, and considers her kitchen a "flavour lab", and takes pride in trying new things, often being influenced by her Pakistani and Bangladeshi heritage.

Sabina particularly likes cooking with chillies, and finding that perfect blend of flavour and heat.

This isn't Sabina's first time trying to take on the challenge for MasterChef, first applying 16 years ago, but was forced to pull out of filming due to her pregnancy.

"I was due right around the time of filming, and it just wasn't meant to be," she said. "Life got busy, and I put the dream aside."

"Fast forward sixteen years, and my kids started getting after me to apply again. They'd seen me cooking all these years, experimenting in my kitchen, and they kept saying, 'Mum, you have to do it'," she added.

"There was something about their encouragement that felt like serendipity, they were the reason I couldn't do it the first time, and now they were the reason I was giving it another shot."

Samantha

Age: 39

From: St Albans

Job: Accounts assistant

Living with her husband and two children, Samantha likes to experiment and doesn't feel like she has one particular cooking style.

She first found a love of cooking through her family, helping them make breakfast even as a small child.

"I have always been a huge fan of the show and watched it since it started," she said about her reason for taking part.

"I always wanted to give it a go, and I did apply a few times over the years and then work and having a family took up a lot of my time, so I thought being 40 next year, let’s get it off the bucket list. And here I am!"

MasterChef continues tonight at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer.

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