Contestants announced for Celebrity MasterChef 2021

Former Celtic player Dion Dublin, Happy Mondays star Bez, and actress Su Pollard are among the celebrities who will take part in the upcoming series of Celebrity MasterChef, it has been announced.

Joining them in the BBC One show are TV star Joe Swash, Blue singer Duncan James, Britain’s Got Talent finalist and comedian Nabil Abdulrashid and The Great British Sewing Bee judge Patrick Grant.

Broadcast over six weeks, the celebrities will also tackle a new series of cookery challenges, with renowned chefs including Tom Kerridge, Nisha Katona, Nieves Barragan Mohacho and more appearing as special guest judges.

This year’s crop of 20 celebrities, joined again by MasterChef judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace, also includes comedian Munya Chawawa, Melanie Sykes, former EastEnders actress Rita Simons, singer and reality TV star Megan McKenna and Penny Lancaster.

The Repair Shop’s Will Kirk is also among the contestants, along with TV star Katie Price, Strictly Come Dancing professional Johannes Radebe, and journalist and author Gavin Esler.

Hoping to impress with their culinary skills will also be Paralympic champion Kadeena Cox, Love Island star Kem Cetinay and actresses Melissa Johns and Michelle Collins.

Series editor Katie Attwood said: “This year’s line-up promises a huge amount of humour and entertainment. Lockdown has proved productive for our famous faces’ culinary skills and we are set to see some exceptional talent and astonishing dishes as the celebrities swap their day jobs for a spot in the MasterChef kitchen.”

Sarah Clay, commissioning editor for the BBC, said: “Celebrity MasterChef is one the highlights of the British summertime schedule and this series is as entertaining and charming as ever.

“The 20 brave celebrities are joined by a host of chefs at the top of their game in brand new tasks which makes this year feel extra special. The standard of cooking is like nothing we have seen before.”

The 2020 series of Celebrity MasterChef was won by Irish-Iraqi broadcaster and YouTube star Riyadh Khalaf.

Celebrity MasterChef, produced by Shine TV, will return to BBC One this summer.