Episode 11

The semi-finals continue, and two stars have already been sent home, leaving the best seven still in with a shot at MasterChef glory. Judges Grace Dent and John Torode set two challenges inspired by passion and love – these will need to be plates of food that stir up memories and emotion.

First up is a visit from Italian cooking royalty, Gennaro Contaldo, whose culinary career spans 50 years, 15 cookbooks and includes mentoring a young Jamie Oliver in the art of authentic Italian cuisine. Gennaro’s recipes are close to his heart and filled with emotion, and now he asks the celebrities to each recreate one of his favourite dishes and hopefully bring those lovely memories flooding back. The recipes sound simple and often include humble ingredients, but they require a deft touch and techniques that can take years to master. Gennaro likes to play with flavour combinations, so we can expect some twists and turns along the way.

Success could prove vital, as the celebrity who manages to impress Gennaro and the judges more than anyone else will sail straight through to the next round, leaving the remaining six to fight it out to keep their place in the competition They will now be responsible for their own food – but this time it’s a dish inspired by a place that means something special to them. Somewhere that will tug on the heartstrings and leave the judges with a taste sensation that lives long in the memory – for the right reasons! The celebrities aren’t short of inspiration, with offerings that take us around the globe, including visits to New York, the south of France, the Caribbean, and somewhere a bit more local – Lancashire!

One celebrity will head home with more memories to add to the collection as their journey comes to an end, leaving just six remaining in the last semi-final and the rest of us one step closer to discovering who will take the title of Celebrity MasterChef 2025.