Grace Dent To Judge ‘Celebrity MasterChef’ Next Year Following Gregg Wallace Allegations

Grace Dent has stepped in as judge on Celebrity MasterChef for 2025.

The critic, who has been a regular guest on MasterChef for more than a decade, will join John Torode following the Gregg Wallace allegations that have emerged in the past couple of weeks.

MasterChef presenter Wallace has stepped away after allegations of inappropriate behaviour and touching from more than a dozen women, and he is currently being probed by MasterChef producer Banijay UK. His lawyers deny he engaged in behavior of a sexually harassing nature. No word yet on the main MasterChef series and whether Dent will be involved with that iteration since Wallace stepped back.

Torode said: “I have loved working with Grace on MasterChef over the years. She has been an excellent guest, an inspiring critic and also set some incredible challenges.” Torode recently described the Wallace allegations as “truly upsetting.”

Kalpna Patel-Knight, Head of Entertainment at the BBC, added: “Grace Dent is the perfect choice to step in for the next series of Celebrity MasterChef. Grace is not only an energetic and well-established member of the MasterChef team, but is also a world-renowned food critic, so she will certainly keep the next batch of celebrities on their toes.”

Dent featured on MasterChef: Battle of the Critics last year and was a recent contestant on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!. She writes a column for The Guardian and has hosted nine seasons of celebrity food podcast Comfort Eating.