Yahoo News MasterChef: The Professionals eliminates cook ahead of Finals Week
The show is continuing to air amid allegations against host Gregg Wallace
What did you miss?
MasterChef: The Professionals judges have further whittled down the field with another cook eliminated in the latest episode.
The programme’s 17th series started in October with 32 ambitious chefs signing up to test their culinary skills in the MasterChef kitchen, and is continuing to air despite the investigation following allegations that host Gregg Wallace made inappropriate comments. The episode on Thursday 5, December was the last semi-final and saw five cooks presenting their finest dishes.
But it was the end of the road for one hopeful.
What, how and why?
In the episode — which was filmed at RHS Wisley — cooks George, Dan, Chiara, Gaston and William had to work together to prepare a three-course fine dining menu for some VIP diners.
They then had to create a dish that had meaning for them, and William, 26, decided to whip up a salt baked chicken roulade with mixed vegetables in honour of his grandmother, with noodles and a mushroom sauce on the side.
However, the junior sous chef ran into problems, worrying about the dough for his black and white noodles. “I’m not happy at all,” he admitted.
Judge Marcus Wareing agreed, saying the noodles were “slimy” and “a million miles away from what I was excepting”. Judge Monica Galetti told William she’d noticed him becoming stressed and told him he needed to keep his chef’s hat on and try to fix issues when they arose.
Read more: MasterChef
Why is MasterChef: The Professionals still airing with Gregg Wallace?
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In the end, William was told his time in the MasterChef kitchen was over.
"Today was not my best day but I loved every moment," he said. "It’s a long journey, a hard journey. But I made good friends in this competition."
What happened with Gregg Wallace and why is the show airing amid the allegations?
Wallace has been in the headlines after it emerged that he is alleged to have made inappropriate comments over 17 years of filming TV shows. His lawyers have said it “is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature".
MasterChef: The Professionals is staying on air but the BBC has defended the decision by explaining that the contest can be "life-changing" for the chefs taking part.
A BBC spokesperson said: "As we have said, MasterChef is an amazing competition which is life-changing for the chefs taking part and the current series of MasterChef: The Professionals is continuing as planned.
“The celebrity Christmas specials are obviously a different type of show and in the current circumstances we have decided not to broadcast them."
MasterChef: The Professionals continues at 9pm on BBC One on Monday 9, December.
