About this season
Chef and restaurateur John Torode and food writer and ingredients expert Gregg Wallace search for the country's top celebrity chef.
Episodes (30)
1. Episode 1
Aired 13 August 2012 • 30 min
Emma Kennedy, Danny Mills, Michael Underwood, Zöe Salmon, Gareth Gates, Cheryl Baker, Laila Rouass, George Layton, Diarmuid Gavin, Richard McCourt, Rebecca Romero, Jamie Theakston, Jenny Eclair, Javine Hylton, Steve Parry and Anne Charleston.
2. Episode 2
Aired 14 August 2012 • 30 min
Jamie Theakston, Anne Charleston, Javine Hylton and Steve Parry are paired into teams and challenged to cook for students at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
3. Episode 3
Aired 15 August 2012 • 30 min
It's elimination day, and Jamie Theakston, Anne Charleston, Javine Hylton and Steve Parry are challenged to cook a classic recipe and a dish of their own creation.
4. Episode 4
Aired 16 August 2012 • 30 min
The three remaining celebrities are sent to top London restaurant Coq d'Argent. Under the pressure of the professional kitchen, cracks begin to appear.
5. Episode 5
Aired 17 August 2012 • 30 min
The celebrities must cook a faultless two-course meal, judged not only by John Torode and Gregg Wallace but also by two past Celebrity MasterChef champions and a finalist.
6. Episode 6
Aired 20 August 2012 • 30 min
Holby's Laila Rouass, singer Gareth Gates, actor George Layton and author and actress Emma Kennedy join the second round with a Mystery Box test and a tomato bruschetta trial.
7. Episode 7
Aired 21 August 2012 • 30 min
The celebrities pair up for a mass catering task at the Royal Holloway University. With hungry students descending upon them, they need to rely on their teamwork skills.
8. Episode 8
Aired 22 August 2012 • 30 min
On elimination day the celebrities must cook the classic apple tarte tatin with crème anglaise in only one hour, then a dish of their own design again in under one hour.
9. Episode 9
Aired 23 August 2012 • 30 min
The celebrities take on fine Indian cuisine and must carefully spice and balance flavours.
10. Episode 10
Aired 24 August 2012 • 30 min
The battle for a place in the final eight reaches its climax.
11. Episode 11
Aired 27 August 2012 • 30 min
12. Episode 12
Aired 28 August 2012 • 30 min
13. Episode 13
Aired 29 August 2012 • 30 min
14. Episode 14
Aired 30 August 2012 • 30 min
15. Episode 15
Aired 31 August 2012 • 30 min
The battle for a place in the final eight reaches its climax. To secure a place, the remaining celebrities must cook a faultless two-course meal to impress three guest judges.
16. Episode 16
Aired 3 September 2012 • 30 min
Zoe Salmon, Cheryl Baker, Danny Mills and Richard McCourt begin a week of culinary challenges. Their first challenge is a mystery box test, a test of imagination and creativity.
17. Episode 17
Aired 4 September 2012 • 30 min
Zoe Salmon, Cheryl Baker, Danny Mills and Richard McCourt are paired into teams and assigned a mass-catering challenge of mammoth proportions, serving 120 portions.
18. Episode 18
Aired 5 September 2012 • 30 min
It's elimination day as one celebrity will be cooking their final dishes. The contestants are first tasked with cooking marinated poussin with flat bread and tzatziki.
19. Episode 19
Aired 6 September 2012 • 30 min
The three remaining celebrities face their first restaurant service, a busy lunchtime serving French food with a contemporary twist under head chef Allan Pickett.
20. Episode 120
Aired 7 September 2012 • 30 min
The battle for a place in the final eight reaches its climax. The three remaining celebrities must cook a two-course meal to wow both John and Gregg, and the guest judges.
21. Episode 21
Aired 10 September 2012 • 30 min
The remaining celebrities must cook the judges a single show-stopping dish.
22. Episode 22
Aired 11 September 2012 • 30 min
The remaining six celebrity cooks prepare lunch on board a cross-channel ferry.
23. Episode 23
Aired 12 September 2012 • 30 min
The six remaining celebrity cooks must create a dish inspired by someone close to them.
24. Episode 24
Aired 13 September 2012 • 30 min
The four remaining chefs each cook a lunchtime service in a top London restaurant.
25. Episode 25
Aired 14 September 2012 • 30 min
The contestants cook a three-course meal for three tough food critics.
26. Episode 26
Aired 17 September 2012 • 30 min
The final week begins with another invention test. Then the three finalists visit the set of BBC drama New Tricks to prepare lunch for the cast and crew.
27. Episode 27
Aired 18 September 2012 • 30 min
Pastry chef Claire Clark gives the finalists a master class in the art of patisserie.
28. Episode 28
Aired 19 September 2012 • 30 min
The three finalists must prepare a fine dining three-course dinner at Bletchley Park.
29. Episode 29
Aired 20 September 2012 • 30 min
The three finalists cook an exquisite meal for some of the country's most respected chefs.
30. Episode 30
Aired 21 September 2012 • 30 min
The celebrities cook a final three-course meal for judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace.