Who is on Celebrity MasterChef 2021? Meet this year’s line-up

The Celebrity MasterChef 2021 line-up has now been officially announced.

Despite barely being able to catch our breath after the dramatic and inadvertently delayed amateur series, fans will soon have more MasterChef to get their teeth into.

However, this time around, it won’t be unknowns competing for the top prize.

Celebrity MasterChef will crown a new champion after Riyadh Khalaf’s win last year (Credit: Alamy/PA)

Who is on Celebrity MasterChef 2021?

The 16th series of the popular spin-off features a seriously star-studded cast list.

READ MORE: Every Celebrity MasterChef winner ever – from Matt Dawson to Riyadh Khalaf

No less than 20 famous faces will be battling it out in the kitchen in front of judges Gregg Wallace and John Torode. They will be competing to join the likes of Lisa Faulkner, Phil Vickery and Greg Rutherford as previous winners.

Here’s who is taking part this time around.

Joe Swash has previously won I’m a Celebrity…(Credit: BBC)

Joe Swash

The Eastenders actor is no stranger to reality TV.

Swash has previously competed in, and won, both I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here and Dancing on Ice winner.

READ MORE: Who won MasterChef 2021? 

Whether his cooking is up to his skating remains to be seen.

Megan McKenna is also an X-Factor Celebrity winner (Credit: BBC)

Megan McKenna 

TOWIE star Megan McKenna is another veteran of televised celebrity competition. The 28-year-old managed to win the X-Factor Celebrity contest in 2019.

If nothing else, she should be used to performing under pressure.

Nabil Abdul Rashid is a previous Britain’s Got Talent contestant (Credit: BBC)

Nabil Abdul Rashid 

A stand-up comic who wowed the judges on Britain’s Got Talent, Nabil Abdul Rashid has not seemed overly confident ahead of his MasterChef bow.

READ MORE: How to apply for MasterChef 2022 – applications are now open

In a tweet accompanying his Celebrity MasterChef portrait, Abdul Rashid declared, “first time I’ve worn one of these things in my life,” in reference to his apron. This may not bode well ahead of the cooking competition.

Katie Price is a reality TV veteran (Credit: BBC)

Katie Price

Former glamour model Katie Price has become one of Britain’s most recognisable media personalities. Having competed on I’m A Celebrity twice and won Celebrity Big Brother, Price is certainly no stranger to the limelight.

In addition to her TV appearances, Price is also a successful author and businesswoman. Whether she is as adept in the kitchen may be another story.

Sewing Bee star Patrick Grant is more used to doing the judging (Credit: BBC)

Patrick Grant

Great British Sewing Bee judge Patrick Grant isn’t used to being on the receiving end of criticism.

However, now that the tailoring expert has left the comfort of BBC Two behind, he’ll have no choice but to subject himself and his food to some serious grilling

Former Blue singer Duncan James is set to star (Credit: BBC)

Duncan James

Popstar Duncan James has also enjoyed a successful post-music career as an actor. The 43-year-old Blue singer also starred in soap hit Hollyoaks, as well as reality shows such as First Dates Hotel and The Circle.

Kadeena Cox

Paralympian Kadeena Cox is one of the UK’s most successful parasport athletes. Cox has won gold medals at the Rio Games, as well as both the Doha and London World Championships.

This competitive experience may well give her the edge when it comes to cooking.

Ex-footballer Dion Dublin is a successful TV presenter (Credit: BBC)

Dion Dublin

Former footballer and occasional Match Of The Day presenter Dion Dublin has made a few forays away from professional sport. For instance, in 2015, Dublin surprised everyone by joining the cast of property show Homes Under The Hammer.

It remains to be seen, however, whether Dublin’s surprising skill set extends to cooking.

Penny Lancaster is in the running for Celebrity MasterChef 2021 (Credit: BBC)

Penny Lancaster

Loose Women star Lancaster has certainly had a varied career. A former model, photographer, Special Constable and Strictly Come Dancing star, she has certainly proven that she relishes a challenge.

Happy Mondays’ Bez is no stranger to reality TV (Credit: BBC)

Bez

Happy Mondays member Bez always manages to turn heads whenever he appears on TV. The 57-year-old percussionist and dancer famously appeared on Celebrity Big Brother in order to pay off his outstanding tax bills, only to go on and win the series.

Fingers crossed that his cooking is as iconic as his dancing.

Professional dancer Johannes Radebe is a Strictly veteran (Credit: BBC)

Johannes Radebe

Continuing the strong Stricly Come Dancing representation in this MasterChef series is pro dancer Johannes Radebe.

In 2019, Radebe made headlines by becoming one half of the first same-sex couple in Strictly’s history.

71-year-old Su Pollard is a former Hi-Di-Hi actress (Credit: BBC)

Su Pollard

71-year-old Hi-Di-Hi actress Su Pollard is widely regarded as a national treasure. A veteran of stage and screen, she certainly shouldn’t have anything to fear from the MasterChef kitchen.

Her fans will no doubt be hoping that she doesn’t do anything to undermine her reputation.

Stand up comic Munya Chawawa will take part in Celebrity MasterChef 2021 (Credit: BBC)

Munya Chawawa

Comedian Munya Chawawa is best known for his viral sketches, featuring characters such as the posh rapper Unknown P.

He is also a regular on the show Belly Must Go. Time will tell whether his culinary credentials match his comedy chops.

Melanie Sykes has previous experience on cooking shows (Credit: BBC)

Melanie Sykes

Moreso than many of this year’s contestants, Melanie Sykes already has a foodie reputation. As the host of popular cooking shows such as Let’s Do Lunch With Gino and Mel and Humple Pie with Marco Pierre White, she’s certainly no stranger to the idiosyncracies of professional cooks.

She will be hoping that this experience puts her in a strong position.

Gavin Esler is a former host of newsnight (Credit: BBC)

Gavin Esler

Former Newsnight presenter and author Gavin Esler has had a tumultuous recent career. In 2019, for instance, he stood as a candidate for the now-defunct Change UK political party.

Hopefully, he’ll have more success in the Celebrity MasterChef kitchen.

Rita Simons is a well-known actress (Credit: BBC)

Rita Simons

Former EastEnders actress Simons is another reality TV veteran. Before appearing on Celebrity MasterChef, Simons also took part in the 2019 I’m A Celebrity… series.

Hopefully, her cooking is better than a bushtucker trial.

Kem Cetinay is actually a restaurant owner himself (Credit: BBC)

Kem Cetinay

Former Love Island champion and hairdresser Kem Cetinay is no stranger to the reality TV circuit. As well as his time on ITV2, Cetinay has appeared on Dancing On Ice, The Weakest Link, and even scored one of Soccer Aid’s most memorable goals.

Here’s hoping that Celebrity MasterChef hopes him add to his CV.

Michelle Collins is a star of both Eastenders of Coronation Street (Credit: BBC)

Michelle Collins

Actress Michelle Collins is a veteran soap star. In her career to date, the 59-year-old has played prominent roles in both EastEnders and Coronation Street, making her only one of a handful of performers to appear on both.

Will Kirk is best known for his role on The Repair Shop (Credit: BBC)

Will Kirk

Restoration expert Will Kirk is best known for his role on BBC Two’s charmingly laid back The Repair Shop.

While MasterChef promises to ramp up the pressure, Kirk certainly understands how work precisely under the glare of a camera.

Melissa Johns is a rising star in the acting world (Credit: BBC)

Melissa Johns

Actress Melissa Johns might be best known for her role on Coronation Street, but she has enjoyed an extremely varied career to date.

Johns has also appeared in a range of theatrical and TV productions, including One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest and LIFE.

READ MORE: Who won MasterChef 2021? Gregg Wallace and John Torode crown their champion

With so many famous faces taking part, this series promises to be one of the most closely fought yet.

In a statement, series editor Katie Attwood said: “This year’s line-up promises a huge amount of humour and entertainment.

“Lockdown has proved productive for our famous faces’ culinary skills and we are set to see some exceptional talent and astonishing dishes as the celebrities swap their day jobs for a spot in the MasterChef kitchen.”

Here’s hoping that the lineup can live up to the hype.