MasterChef fans delighted by return of comeback contestant with cheeky revelation

What did you miss?

MasterChef fans were delighted to see the return of Linda from the MasterChef 2023.

The 61-year-old medical secretary from North Wales made a big impression on the last series of the BBC cooking competition, even though she was sent home in the knock-out stages. Linda was remembered for causing chaos in the kitchen— including spilling a whole pan of sauce — and being a strong character.

Fans on social media were already excited to see her back on the show in comeback week, before she shared she had posed for a naked charity calendar.

What, how and why?

John Torode and Gregg Wallace welcomed five more comeback contestants, and were pleased to see Linda among them. Wallace asked her what she had been up to since she had left the MasterChef kitchen last time.

Linda revealed: "I made some food for charity but it was more — I was doing a calendar. A naked calendar. Me and 16 women did a naked calendar for breast cancer."

She added: "It's not like really everything out for show, it's subtle." Torode told her: "You are extraordinary. You've got a great smile on your face. It's so lovely to have you back." In the calendar she appeared naked in a kitchen holding a bowl and food mixer while another of the women held a MasterChef book with a photo of Torode and Wallace.

Linda revealed she was cooking steamed seabass followed by orange blossom cake. She said: "I wanted to cook fish because of my disaster with sardines which my husband will never hear the end of because it was his idea." Wallace previously compared her sardine dish to "nothing more than sardines on toast I would have at home watching the rugby."

Torode said: "She's going to make us an orange blossom cake because the last time she cooked orange blossom we couldn't taste it." But this time Wallace complained her cake was dense and dry, as Linda confessed: "I forgot to put the butter in it. I can't believe it!" Both judges said they could taste the orange blossom but Wallace told her: "The sponge is too dry. You know that, you haven't put the butter in."

Linda said: "I'm relieved that that's over. There was parts that they weren't happy with but on the whole I got good feedback."

Viewers were celebrating at seeing Linda back on the show. One wrote on social media platform X: "Yess My daring Linda is back, loved her last time! #MasterChef" Another said: "SO glad Linda's back for another go!" One commented: "Linda is back and doing a naked calendar- what a women #MasterChef" While another posted: "It's LINDA!!! I was hoping she'd come back. I loved her #MasterChef" And another tweeted: "aww she was a sweetheart that Linda"

What else happened on MasterChef?

But Linda was sent home from the competition yet again, after failing to impress with her cheesecake and brownie foodtruck-inspired desserts. She said: "I feel okay to be going home, bit sad, but there's lots of good cooks there, so stiff competition, its a massive experience and I've loved every minute of it."

Also returning were 25-year-old personal trainer Cliodhna from Lancashire who appeared in the early heats of 2023. She was joined by 36-year-old fashion worker Natasha, who competed in 2020, 46-year-old head of customer success Ajay from the 2019 quarter finals, and insurance MD Tigi, 48, who left in the 2022 quarter finals.

Natasha, Ajay and Cliodhna went through to the quarter finals.

Throughout the latest series, viewers have continued to complain about what contestants consider basic ingredients and the standard of contestants after a number of kitchen disasters. In a previous episode one contestant accidentally sprinkled salt instead of sugar over his dessert, leaving viewers questioning the show's standards. Another round put viewers off their food after a gruesome moment in which a contestant severed the top of her finger.

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