Celebrity MasterChef serves up a banquet of B-Listers

It’s the Eleventh series of ‘Celebrity MasterChef’, with 20 new, famous faces competing to impress the judges with their Duck a l’Orange and maybe the occasional flambé. Of course, this means the return of ‘MasterChef’ judges, John Torode and Gregg Wallace.

But who will be serving up their best dishes?

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Thankfully, the star-quality of their contestants is just a second-thought, as the celebs put blood, sweat and tears into ‘MasterChef’s gruelling tasks. And with the judge’s taste tests putting them through their paces, we can expect more than a touch of melodrama from this year’s contestants…

“This year’s celebrities come from an incredibly mixed range of backgrounds and the diversity of their life experiences is reflected in their food,” said MasterChef’s executive producer Carla-Maria Lawson.

“This is one of the most passionate groups of celebrity cooks we’ve ever had on MasterChef.”

We’ll let you be the judge of that…

‘Celebrity MasterChef’ returns to BBC One on 22 June 2016.

What do you think of the stars on this year’s ‘Celebrity MasterChef’? Who do you think will win? Leave your comments below… and follow Ryan Leston on Twitter, Facebook or my official Tumblr blog for more on the latest TV shows.

[Photo: BBC]

Sinitta Malone: That’s right – TV personality, ‘The X Factor’ mentor and ‘80s pop singer Sunitta will be headlining yet-another reality TV show. It’s definitely no big surprise – after all, she’s appeared on ‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!’ as well as ‘The Jump’, ‘Dancing on Ice’ ad even ‘Celebrity Wife Swap’. But can she cook up a nice Beef Wellington? She’ll certainly be put through her paces on tonight’s ‘Celebrity MasterChef’. But whether or not she cuts the mustard remains to be seen.

Amy Childs: Another reality TV star, Amy Childs is famous for starring on ITV’s ‘The Only Way Is Essex’ and has made a name for herself as the queen of vajazzle. Let’s just hope she’s washed her hands before handling anything… Of course, Amy has made numerous TV appearances in recent years, so it’s little surprise to see her joining ‘Celebrity MasterChef’. But will her makeup technique give her an edge when decorating a Tiramisu? Since appearing on ‘TOWIE’, she’s appeared on ‘The Jump’ as well as heading off for a stint in ‘Celebrity Big Brother’ where she was evicted on Day 22 (putting her in 4^th place). She has also starred in her very own reality series, ‘It’s All About Amy’.

Audley Harrison: Professional Boxer and Olympic gold medal winner Audley Harrison is hanging up his gloves in favour of a comfy oven mitt. The first British boxer to take home a gold in the Super Heavyweight category, Harrison certainly proved himself in the ring. But will he turn the heat up to gas mark 10 on ‘Celebrity MasterChef’? In recent years, he’s starred on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ as well as ‘Celebrity Big Brother’. Will his meals pack a real punch? For now, we’ll have to wait and see. But the judges might want to lay off the criticism… just to be on the safe side.

Jimmy Osmond: Legendary singer Jimmy Osmond was catapulted to fame as one of The Osmonds – the American musical group with a long and varied musical history. But Jimmy won’t be able to lean on the help of his siblings when it comes to ‘MasterChef’. The American-born performer has appeared on numerous UK TV shows, including ‘I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!’, ‘All Star Family Fortunes’, ‘Celebrity Come Dine with Me’ and even an episode of ‘Never Mind The Buzzcocks’. Will his flair for showmanship help during ‘Celebrity MasterChef’? We’ll have to wait and see.

Donna Air: British actress Donna Air is perhaps most famous for her stint in the BBC children’s drama, ‘Byker Grove’… and we’re not really sure that qualifies her for ‘celebrity’ status. Still, she’s a pretty face who’s appeared in minor film roles including ‘The Mummy Returns’ and ‘The Counsellor’, and she’s also made fleeting appearances across UK TV in the likes of ‘hotel Babylon’ and ‘Hollyoaks’. Will her soufflés be lighter than air? Who knows…

Gleb Savchenko: I know what you’re thinking – who? Professional dancer Gleb Savchenko is most famous for appearing on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ and was most recently paired with Anita Rani on the 2015 version of the hit BBC show. A Russian dancer and choreographer, he’s an incredibly talented individual, and has also appeared on the US, Australian, and Russian versions of ‘Dancing with the Stars’. Will his dancing prowess help him in the kitchen? We’re not so sure… but at least he can tell a meringue from a merengue.

Laila Morse: It’s Big Mo! You know, Big Mo off of the telly! British actress Laila Morse is best known for the role of lovable rogue, Maureen ‘Big Mo’ Harris in the hit BCC soap, ‘EastEnders’. But while her acting debut was at the late age of 52, she’s been in numerous films and TV shows, including ‘The Bill’, ‘Great Expectations’ and even the writing/directing debut of her brother, Gary Oldman – ‘Nil By Mouth’. She’s also appeared on ITV’s ‘Dancing on Ice’ as well as ‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!’.

Sid Owen: Another ‘EastEnders’ star, Sid Owen famously played the role of Ricky Butcher. And while ‘EastEnders’ has dominated his career, he’s also had the odd spot of fame elsewhere. After leaving ‘EastEnders’, he appeared on the likes of ‘The Bill’ and even landed a regular role on ITV’s hit drama, ‘Bad Girls’. But he’s not just an actor… In fact, Sid Owen tried his hand at a pop music career back in 1982 with a cover version of ‘Good Thing Going’. Unfortunately, he never released a follow up.

Tina Malone: Best known for the role of Mimi Maguire in ‘Shameless’, British actress Tina Malone played the role of Mo McGee on ‘Brookside’ as well as starring in hit BBC comedy, ‘Dinnerladies’. But perhaps most importantly, she appeared on the 2009 series of ‘Celebrity Big Brother’ and was instantly singled out for her… loudness. And that might give us some indication of how she’ll react if her cookery skills aren’t up to scratch. Have Tina’s ‘Dinnerladies’ pals given her any tips? We certainly hope not… after all, lumpy custard will only get you so far.

Simon Webbe: That’s right – it’s former-popstar, Simon Webbe. Most famous for appearing as one-quarter of the hit UK boy band, ‘Blue’, the 38-year-old singer is no stranger to the limelight. Following the band’s five studio albums, Webbe has since released two solo albums, as well as appearing in several films. On top of that, he’s appeared on ‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!’ as well as the ‘Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special’ back in 2011. Let’s just hope his Yorkshire puddings All Rise.

Amelle Berrabah: It’s another former-popstar, this time in the form of ‘Sugababes’ singer, Amelle Berrabah. The 32-year-old singer joined the group as a replacement for Mutya Buena back in 2005, and notably managed a number one hit after leaving the group alongside Tinchy Strider for the solo single, ‘Never Leave You’. What’s she been doing since then? Berrabah continues to pursue her own solo career, and has also appeared on the weird, celebrity gymnastics show, ‘Tumble’.

Reverend Richard Coles: He’s Britain’s only vicar to have a Number One hit with ‘Don’t Leave Me This Way’. And now it looks as though he’s trying his hand at something completely different with his appearance on ‘Celebrity MasterChef’. Reverend Coles read theology at King’s College before being ordained as a curate in Lincolnshire and Knightsbridge… but is perhaps most famous as a regular host of BBC Radio 4’s ‘Saturday Live’ programme. Will Reverend Coles bring some much-needed glamour to the show? Either way, he’s bound to have sampled plenty of cake in his time as a vicar.

Marcus Butler: YouTube sensation Marcus Butler is best known for his YouTube channel, formerly known as ‘Marcus Butler TV’. With over 4 million subscribers (as well as a second channel titled ‘MoreMarcus’) he’s become something of an internet hit. And that might help bring in a younger crowd for the show. Butler began on YouTube creating music and video mixes… and has since collaborated with other famous YouTubers, most of which I really have no idea about. Names such as Alfie Deyes, Caspar Lee, Tyler Oakley, Joe Sugg, Zoella, Connor Franta, Lilly Singh, Troye Sivan. Whoever they are. Let’s hope he’s been swotting up on some of those YouTube cookery channels.

Alexis Conran: Magician and hustler Alexis Conran is perhaps most famous for appearing on ‘The Real Hustle’ – the BBC entertainment show which gave Conran and his chums the opportunity to con their way through the British population. His other TV roles include ‘Waking the Dead’ and ‘Wire in the Blood’… but he remains most famous for ‘The Real Hustle’. Will his sleight-of-hand skills help him out? Perhaps a deft touch will help with the more delicate culinary skills… and if that fails, he can always con his way to the top.

Neil Back: English rugby player Neil Back is renowned for his Rugby Union stint – playing for both the England national team as well as the British Lions. He also played for Nottingham RFC and the Leicester Tigers… as well as appearing as captain for both England and Leicester during his career. Off the pitch, he hasn’t done an awful lot else… although he did appear on an episode of the hit ITV show ‘Gladiators’ back in 1997. But brute force isn’t going to win over the judges. Not unless he gets them in a scrum.

Liz Johnson: British swimmer and Paralympic gold medallist Liz Johnson is a local favourite for us Welshies. Hailing from Newport, South Wales, the 30-year-old athlete has racked up a number of gold medals in her career, including Breaststroke, Freestyle and Medley at the IPC World Championships. But this young athlete is no stranger to cooking… Back in 2009, she appeared on an episode of ‘Ready, Steady, Cook’. Will this give her an edge over the competition? Perhaps Liz Johnson has her sights set on another win…

Louise Minchin: Journalist and News presenter Louise Minchin has been a regular on the ‘BBC Breakfast’ sofa since 2006… and currently hosts the show three days a week alongside Dan Walker. But she’s not merely a TV personality, and has also represented Great Britain as a triathlete at the World Triathlon Championships. Minchin has also had short stints on ‘Sunday Life’, ‘Real Rescues’ and ‘The One Show’. Will her top-notch presentation skills come in handy?

Cherry Healey: Another BBC presenter, Cherry Healey is known for numerous BBC documentaries, including ‘Cherry Goes Drinking’, ‘Cherry Has a Baby’, ‘Cherry Gets Pierced’, ‘Cherry Goes Dating’ and ‘Cherry Gets Married’. Will her next show be titled, ‘Cherry Wins MasterChef’? She also presented ‘Britain’s Favourite Supermarket Foods’ so perhaps she’ll have a keen eye for ingredients. At the very least, she’ll be able to adequately check the sell-by date.

Tommy Cannon: A British institution, Tommy Cannon is best known as one-half of the comedy duo, ‘Cannon & Ball’. Although their first TV appearance was way back in 1974, the duo perform together to this day – most recently appearing on TV in ‘Celebrity Coach Trip’. Tommy Cannon also made a one-off appearance opposite his pal, Bobby Ball on the hit BBC comedy, ‘Not Going Out’ during the show’s Christmas Special back in 2014. And before that, he was a contestant on ‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here’.

David Harper: Antiques expert, David Harper is perhaps best known for appearing on numerous BBC antique shows, including ‘Bargain Hunt’, ‘Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is’, ‘Cash In The Attic’ and ‘The Antiques Road Trip’. His antique credentials include running an antique business in the USA, shipping antiques to and from the States and becoming one of the youngest directors of a PLC company in Britain at the age of just 25 – importing antique style rubberwood furniture from the Far East. Will any of this help him cook up a good meal? Probably not… but perhaps Greg can bring in some old knickknacks to get them valued.