Gregg Wallace’s ‘Celebrity MasterChef’ replacement named as Grace Dent
Restaurant critic Grace Dent has been appointed as the new judge for ‘Celebrity MasterChef’, stepping into the role vacated by Gregg Wallace following his departure amid allegations of historical misconduct.
Dent, who has been a regular on the BBC cooking competition for more than a decade, will sit on the judging panel alongside John Torode for the show’s upcoming 20th series. The announcement comes during a turbulent period for the franchise, with the BBC axing its Christmas specials following Wallace’s controversial response to allegations of misconduct.
“I’ve been watching ‘MasterChef’ since I was a girl sitting on the couch with my dad,” Dent said. “My whole family watches it. It’s all about discovering and championing talent and to have ended up in this position is more than a dream for me.”
Torode added: “I have enjoyed working with Grace on ‘MasterChef’ over the years. She was an excellent guest, an inspiring critic and also presented some incredible challenges.”
Dent brings with him significant culinary credentials, including an award-winning restaurant review column for The Guardian and nine seasons as host of the renowned food podcast ‘Comfort Eating’. She previously competed in “MasterChef: Battle of the Critics 2023” and has written more than 20 books.
The BBC’s head of entertainment, Kalpna Patel-Knight, called Dent “the perfect choice,” citing her established presence on the “MasterChef” team and her reputation as a “world-renowned food critic.”
The appointment follows Wallace’s step back from the show after BBC News investigated allegations of inappropriate sexual comments by 13 people who worked with him on five shows between 2005 and 2022. Production company Banijay UK is conducting an investigation into the claims, the company’s lawyers say Wallace. are ‘completely untrue’.
The new season of “Celebrity MasterChef” with Dent will air in 2025.
