John Torode thrilled as ‘perfect person’ replaces Gregg Wallace on MasterChef
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Grace Dent will judge the next series of Celebrity MasterChef alongside John Torode, it has been announced. Dent, 51, will judge the upcoming 20th series of Celebrity MasterChef following news last month that Gregg Wallace will step away from the role amid an external review into historical allegations of misconduct.
Author and podcaster Dent has appeared regularly as a guest on MasterChef, and last year was a contestant on MasterChef: Battle Of The Critics. She said: ‘I’ve been watching MasterChef since I was a girl sitting with my dad on the sofa. My whole family watches it. It’s all about uncovering and championing talent – and to have ended up in this position, is more than a dream to me.
![[Mandatory Credit: Photo by David Hartley/Shutterstock (12539275at) Grace Dent is an English columnist, broadcaster and author. She is a restaurant critic for The Guardian. She is a regular critic on the BBC's MasterChef UK and has appeared on Channel 4's television series Very British Problems Cheltenham Literature Festival, UK - 15 Oct 2021]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SEI_112359857-67a6-e1733955029808.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
‘I’m so excited that I can’t eat, which is severely detrimental to a restaurant critic. I feel very lucky to be stepping in for the next Celebrity MasterChef. ‘I can’t wait to meet the fresh celebrity faces for 2025.’. It had been rumoured the likes of James Martin, Angela Hartnett, or Torode’s wife Lisa Faulkner could be replacing Wallace, though Dent stood at odds of 2/1 to join the programme.
![[Editorial use only Mandatory Credit: Photo by Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock (14071956ar) John Torode, Gregg Wallace 'This Morning' TV show, London, UK - 29 Aug 2023]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SEI_231681529-b8b0.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
Torode, who presented MasterChef since 2005 alongside Wallace, said: ‘I have loved working with Grace on MasterChef over the years. She has been an excellent guest, an inspiring critic and also set some incredible challenges. ‘Expertise is what MasterChef is all about, from the contestants to our wonderful production team, to us as judges.
![[Melanie Sykes, Celebrity Masterchef 2021 (Picture: BBC)]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SEI_231775692-b6c4.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
