Former MasterChef judges Gregg Wallace and John Torode have been replaced in the latest series
Gregg Wallace and John Torode were axed from MasterChef(Image: BBC)
Fan-favourite cooking competition MasterChef is returning for a new series on BBC One with two new judges.
Season 22 begins tonight (Tuesday, April 21), with renowned chef Anna Haugh and restaurant critic Grace Dent now at the helm, following Gregg Wallace and John Torode’s departures.
Gregg was axed from the show last year after law firm Lewis Silkin upheld 45 out of 83 complaints against the star of inappropriate behaviour. The 61-year-old said he was “deeply sorry for any distress” he caused, adding that he “never set out to harm or humiliate”.
Meanwhile, John didn’t have his contract renewed with Banijay UK – who make MasterChef – after he was alleged to have used racist language amid an investigation into his former co-star’s behaviour.
A BBC spokesperson confirmed that John denied the allegation, stating: “He has no recollection of the alleged incident and does not believe that it happened. He also says that any racial language is wholly unacceptable in any environment.”
Ahead of the new series of MasterChef airing on BBC One tonight (Tuesday, April 21) at 9pm, let’s explore where former judges Gregg and John are now.
Gregg hasn’t appeared on TV since his MasterChef axing, but recently hosted a 12-hour live cooking show on TikTok, titled Gregg’s Kitchen.
Now, the presenter has confirmed his “new chapter”, telling his Instagram followers that he will be leaving the UK for a new life in Italy by the end of this month.
Speaking in his social media video, Gregg said: “I’ve always loved Italy and we plan to move around and rent in different places, which is quite an adventure. And with the help of my autism specialist mates, I am going to home school Sid [his son] as well. It is a new chapter for us. It is a life that should be full of travel and adventure and I’m very, very much looking forward to it.”
Following his axing from MasterChef, John continued to host his ITV series, John and Lisa’s Weekend Kitchen, with his wife Lisa Faulkner.
The couple are also set to release a new cookbook in September, following the success of their first book together. John & Lisa’s Weeknight Dinners includes “delicious” recipes that can be used on repeat.
“Having cooked together for 10 series of John and Lisa’s Kitchen, they want to encourage people, more than ever, to cook from scratch with simple and fool proof recipes,” reads the official synopsis for the book.
“They use everyday supermarket ingredients, straightforward techniques and no fancy gadgets, to give people the confidence to cook and, most importantly, enjoy creating dishes for their friends and family.”
MasterChef 2026’s first heat will see six talented cooks from all walks of life competing to secure one of four gleaming white MasterChef aprons. The first two will be awarded to those who impress Anna and Grace with their Signature Dish.
The other four will have one more chance to shine as they fight it out for the last two aprons, taking on the Classic Recipe Test. The successful cooks will then have another hurdle to jump to secure their quarter-final place, as they aim to impress last year’s finalists with two courses.
MasterChef season 22 is available to stream on BBC iPlayer