Tuesday, 23 July 2013

Heidi Range, Jo Wood and Shane Lynch get their aprons on for new series of Celebrity Masterchef

Too many cooks... Heidi Range, Jo Wood and Shane Lynch get their aprons on for new series of Celebrity Masterchef

PUBLISHED: 14:46, 23 July 2013 | UPDATED: 14:47, 23 July 2013

Sugababes Heidi Range, rock wife Jo Wood and Boyzone singer Shane Lynch will be among the 16 celebrities taking part in this year's Celebrity Masterchef.

Stars including journalist Janet Street-Porter, comedian Ade Edmondson and ex-Corrie villain Brian Capron will be battling to impress judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace.

Also rolling their sleeves up when the series returns to BBC1 is Olympian Phillips Idowu, Mercury Music Prize winning rapper Speech Debelle and boxer Joe Calzaghe.

Let's cook! Sugababes singer Heidi Range and Ronnie Wood's ex-wife Jo Wood are among those taking part in Celebrity Masterchef 2013

Here come the girls: Heidi and Jo will battle with Katy Brand and Janet Street-Porter in Week 1

Torode and Wallace will be giving the famous contestants six challenges over two days as they fight for a place in the Friday night quarter finals.

In Week 1, Heidi, Jo and Janet will by in the kitchen alongside comedienne Katy Brand.

Week 2 will features Ade and Phillips making recipes with ex-Coronation Street star Denise Black and Cold Feet actor John Thomson.

They're back: Chef John Torode and Gregg Wallace return

Too many cooks spoil the broth: Cold Feet actor John Thomson and comedian Ade Edmondson are in Week Two

The third week will include Brian, Shane, comedienne Shappi Khorsandi and Countryfile presenter Miranda Krestovnikoff, while Week 4 will feature boxer Joe, Speech, comedian Les Dennis and former cricketer Matthew Hoggard.

After the last series of Masterchef was relegated to a 6pm slot, this year its back on primetime BBC1 over the six week series.

The show will see four groups of four celebrities taking part in the opening heats on Wednesdays and Thursday, with one going home during the latter.

The race is on: Olympian Phillips Idowu (left) and ex-Coronation Street actress Denise Black

What's so funny? Comedienne Shappi Khorsandi (left) and TV presenter Miranda Krestovnikoff

On the Friday episodes, the stars will put their best two courses forward to win over three guests judges, in addition to John and Gregg.

This year will see 2011 champion Lisa Faulkner (and girlfriend of John), 2011 winner Phil Vickery and finalist Andi Peters returning to judge the dishes.

The final two weeks of the series will feature eight contestants, whittled down to three grand finalists, who will battle it out to become this year's Celebrity Masterchef champion.

Will he be just as mean in the kitchen? Ex-Corrie villain Brian Capron (left) and Boyzone singer Shane Lynch

Executive producer for the BBC, Carla-Maria Lawson, says: 'The return of Celebrity MasterChef to this BBC One peak time slot sees thrills and spills and some extraordinary cooking from our line-up of well known faces.

'In this series, the contestants enthusiasm in their pursuit of the MasterChef trophy is palpable, often inspiring and sometimes very very funny.'

The new series of Celebrity Masterchef starts on BBC1 on July 31.