Celebrity MasterChef premiered Tuesday night with Italian chef Giorgio Locatelli making his debut as the new host, following the departures of John Torode and Gregg Wallace. Locatelli, a Michelin-starred restaurateur, joins co-host Grace Dent on the BBC show.
The first episode featured comedian Joe Pasquale, Love Island star Shakira Khan, Olympian Emily Campbell, singer Jay McGuinness, and TV presenter Jason Mohammad competing in the kitchen. Locatelli led the contestants in a cookalong, teaching them to make gnocchi.
However, many viewers took to social media to express that they missed the show's previous hosts. "I still miss John and unfortunately Gregg but still love Grace," one user wrote on Twitter, while another commented, "Am sorry but this show is nothing without these two.."
Some viewers were critical of Locatelli's presenting style, with one user saying, "Ok not loving #giorgiolocatelli jumping on the celebrity chef bandwagon," and another suggesting, "Not sure about Giorgio as a presenter, Grace is carrying it."
There were also comments comparing Locatelli to Torode, with one user joking, "Is that just John torode just talking with an Italian accent!?" Another suggested Locatelli expected too much from the celebrity contestants, questioning, "Has anyone told Giorgio he’s on #CelebrityMasterChef and not the normal Masterchef professional show?"
Conversely, some viewers welcomed the change. "Well I have to say I’m liking Giorgio!" one commenter posted. Others praised the new hosting duo, writing, "Loving the duo of Grace and Giorgio on #CelebrityMasterchef such a refreshing presentation these days, will start watching again," and "Grace and Gioiorgioio are more fun than John and Greg. Should be a fun series."
Locatelli replaced John Torode, who was reportedly dismissed in July 2025 after two decades on the show, following allegations of using a racial slur. Gregg Wallace was also removed from the show in the same month, reportedly due to allegations of sexual misconduct, which he denied, stating he had been cleared of "the most serious and sensational accusations."
Grace Dent had previously joined the celebrity series as a judge the previous year after Wallace's departure, and Torode was subsequently removed. The BBC announced in September that Dent and Anna Haugh would serve as judges for the latest season.