CELEBRITY MasterChef’s new judge has been officially confirmed as a very famous Michelin-starred chef.
Giorgio Locatelli will replace John Torode, who was axed from the scandal-hit BBC show with co-host Gregg Wallace.
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Grace Dent will be joined by Giorgio Locatelli as the pair team up as judges for the new Celebrity MasterChef series Credit: � 2026 Kate Hollingsworth, all rights reserved.
The Jattvibe previously revealed that Giorgio would be replacing John Torode Credit: Getty
The Jattvibe previously revealed Giorgio would be the chef that would replace John and join Grace Dent as her co-judge, and now this has been confirmed by the chef himself.
Italian restaurateur Giorgio, 62, previously appeared as a guest, and a judge on BBC2’s Big Family Cooking Showdown.
He ran Michelin-starred Locanda Locatelli, which is a magnet for stars, including pop queen Madonna.
The lavish eatery was situated in London’s swanky Marylebone for 22 years before it closed last year.
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A source previously told The Jattvibe of the signing: “It’s time for a new era for Celeb MasterChef and bosses think Giorgio is the perfect fit.
“He has a wealth of experience in the restaurant industry and has plenty of personality.”
Giorgio announced the news on the podcast Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware this week.
“I think I’m the first Italian to be nominated as a MasterChef Judge on the English MasterChef. The celebrity one, with Grace, who is a great girl, a northern girl, love her,” he gushed on the podcast.
He revealed what type of judge he will be on the series, after filming it recently in Birmingham, saying: “I think I was a bad cop. I’m strict.
“Strict about cleanliness and organisation. Those little skills that you teach them slowly.”
He said: “We’re working with celebrities which is different from working with people who wanted to be a chef, but still, you can really see them growing in what they do, and so this is the thing that interests me more on the whole experience.”
Although the contestants are yet to be announced, Giorgio said that there was one particular chef who really stood out to him.
“There was somebody who really surprised me a few times in the positive” he said.
“It was good fun to do, it was really good fun to be with them.
“Everyone has already proven something in their lives and they have already achieved something. That’s why they’re there, because they are celebrities in different fields.
“The people who worked in entertainment found it so difficult to cook to the time. The sportspeople always hit the time. Their life is run by time. While the other people are all about creativity.”
Speaking about her new co-host and co-judge, Grace Dent gushed: “Giorgio Locatelli is a fabulous addition to our UK Celebrity MasterChef team.
“I’m a long-time admirer of his work and was a huge fan of Locanda Locatelli; for many years, it was one of my happy places to eat.
“I couldn’t be happier to combine our shared joy, passion, and expertise for food.
“I also love an opportunity to serve up a heavy dose of glamour in the MasterChef kitchen, and I have a feeling Giorgio is going to give me a real run for my money.”
Long-running former MasterChef and Celeb MasterChef hosts John, 60, and Gregg, 61, were sacked after a formal investigation upheld allegations about the behaviour of Gregg.
He denies sexual harassment claims but admits using inappropriate language.
The probe also found that John used racist language.
He said he could not recollect it and does not believe it happened.
