WEEK THREE CELEBRITIES

It’s time for the third Heat week, which will see five brand new, but very familiar, faces enter the Celebrity MasterChef arena. The familiar faces taking on this momentous challenge this week are TV personality Jake Quickenden, model and TV personality Christine McGuinness, actor Tamer Hassan, comedian Jamie MacDonald and model Emma Thynn. There’s little time for chit-chat, as they dive straight into their first task - Under The Cloche! First impressions are everything, as John and Gregg will be hoping for five plates of total deliciousness.

Christine McGuinness - Model & TV Personality

“I really wanted to push myself and become more comfortable around food, being autistic I do have sensory issues around food. I can find the smell, the taste and textures quite overwhelming. I am a mummy to three incredible children, also autistic, and I want them to explore foods more confidently. Doing Celebrity MasterChef is definitely the most daunting thing I have ever done! My favourite thing to cook is a ‘scouse’ which is a Liverpool hotpot. I love doing this because it is a recipe that has been passed down from my nan.”

Emma Thynn - Model & TV Personality

“I have always been a huge fan of the show and it was such an honour to be asked to participate. I love food and am a keen cook and have never worked in a professional kitchen, so this was a challenge I was delighted to accept. I love eating spicy food and have a few family recipes I’ve made since I was little like a Nigerian-inspired chicken with a hot tomato sauce. We cook a lot together, it’s such a bonding thing to do at home.”

Jamie MacDonald - Comedian

“When I started watching MasterChef I could still bloody see! That’s how long I’ve loved the show. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to take part. Could I handle the pressure? Thankfully I’m not deluded. I know I’m not good enough to be in the pro show nor the non-pro show. Bring in the celeb show! A slightly different standard. I’m not saying I became a comedian just so I could ultimately do Celeb MasterChef but you can’t deny it’s a bit of a coincidence!”

Tamer Hassan - Actor

“I’ve enjoyed the show for many years, I’ve always wanted to go on the show to challenge myself and learn about cooking and hopefully learn from some top chefs as I go through the process. My relationship with cooking has always been one of love and fun and I find it really therapeutic, especially cooking for other people and hosting dinner parties. My favourite dishes to cook are anything predominantly lamb based, but I love preparing fruits de mer, fresh pasta, even beef wellington!"

Jake Quickenden - Singer, Actor & Presenter

“I really wanted a new challenge - cooking for me wasn’t something that came super natural and my skills were pretty basic, so for me it was about setting myself a new challenge whilst also learning on the show. I’ve always loved watching MasterChef so I was dying to do it myself. My wife Sophie is the better cook, put it that way! I mostly rely on an air fryer, often throwing meals together that I’ve always known so I’m not very adventurous! I love that the show pushes you out of your comfort zone with cooking things you wouldn’t normally!”



Images: BBC/Shine TV. The Celebrity MasterChef series continues Tuesday
27th August, and will be available to watch on BBC One and catchup on
the BBC iPlayer.