Celebrity Masterchef 2026’s finalists were tasked with creating a “faultless” three-course meal for the judges.
Celebrity Masterchef 2026 judges Grace Dent and Giorgio Locatelli.(Image: BBC)
Celebrity Masterchef might be over for another year but three classic BBC shows will be taking its place.
BBC viewers were on tender hooks this evening, Friday, September 18, as they watched the three finalists pour their hearts out into their final meals for Grace Dent and Giorgio Locatelli.
But some fans’ attention are already turning to what is going to replace Celebrity Masterchef as the cooking show has been airing for the past month every Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday night.
With season 21 now over, next week viewers can instead look forward to an episode from the latest series of Dragons’ Den.
In this episode airing on Friday, September 25, the Dragons will be joined by former footballer and pundit Gary Neville as they consider investing in businesses like an “18-year-old’s gift card exchange” and a “couple’s competitive fairground-style experience”.
But this won’t be the only show to replace Celebrity Masterchef 2026 with two other shows lined up on Tuesday and Wednesday in its 8pm timeslot. Next Tuesday (September 22) Nick Knowles will return for a new season of DIY SOS where he and his team will be heading to Glasgow.
They’ll be helping dad Raymond and his two children after the loss of wife and mum Gill to make their home more wheelchair accessible for preteen daughter Nell.
Then on Wednesday night (September 23) BBC viewers will be treated to an episode of The Repair Shop: Beyond the Barn. Experts will be heading out of the barn to pay previous guests a visit to “discover how these once broken objects are being put to use again.”
But before these shows can air, fans have been able to tune in for the last time to Celebrity Masterchef for the grand finale.
Love Island star Shakira Khan, Paralympic athlete Lauren Steadman MBE and Olympic medalist Emily Campbell were this year’s finalists ready to impress the judges with their culinary skills.
But only one could take home the Celebrity Masterchef trophy and it was none other than Paralympian Lauren who wowed with her three-course meal of scallops, beef wellington and sticky toffee pudding.
She said: “I cannot believe that I’m stood holding this [the trophy]. There’s not been many points in my life where I’ve been a bit speechless but this is definitely one of them.
I feel over the moon and this is going to take pride of place at home amongst my medals. I’m pretty proud right now.”
Celebrity Masterchef is available to watch on BBC iPlayer
