Celebrity MasterChef 2023: Terry Christian

A who’s who of music, comedy, drama, and show business are set to battle it out this summer for the title of Celebrity MasterChef 2023 on BBC One’s 18th season of the ever-popular series

TV host and entertainer Dave Benson Phillips, musician Max George, radio host Remi Burgz, comedian Shazia Mirza, and broadcaster Terry Christian are this week’s five celebrity cook-off contestants.

Here Terry Christian tells us why he wanted to take part and what his desert island dish would be.

Why did you decide to participate in Celebrity MasterChef?

I’ve always fancied it. I’ve done Bake Off before and I’d never really done any baking. Some people prepare before and practice, which is cheating to me! Cooking is where it’s at. I had to learn to cook because my mum’s a terrible cook. We’re Irish so everything’s boiled and salty. I started making Vesta beef curries for me and my siblings when I was about 12 and that was the best thing we’d ever tasted. I’m here to just have a go!

I know people get nervous because nobody wants to be the first one out. But you know, that’s just life, I’m here to enjoy the journey.

How did you react when you first stepped foot in the kitchen?

It’s quite nerve-wracking because suddenly you’re there with all this stuff in front of you thinking ‘what the hell do we do with this?’

How do your friends rate your culinary creations?

They clear the plate, but they also get a shift on because they want to finish before kick-off! They say to watch out for my presentation. I’m a bit of a ‘slap it on a plate and get it out’ sort of cook.

Tell me about your favourite home-cooked meals.

Definitely a curry.

What would your desert island dish be?

Malaysian Laksa. I love it, it’s got flavour and it’s really spicy too. I like the coconut flavour and I’m really into spicy food and a lot more flavour than you’d get in an Irish stew.

What are the three essential items that are always stocked in your fridge?

Not an awful lot! I suppose what I’ll always have are chillies and stuff like that. I panic if we run out of that.

MasterChef this week airs Wednesday, Thursday and Friday on BBC One.

Image Credit: BBC