Celebrity MasterChef Christmas Cook-Off spoilers follow.
Celebrity MasterChef Christmas Cook-Off returned for its second episode tonight (December 23), bringing some kitchen heavyweights – and less-successful former contestants – back to make some festive dishes from around the world.
After awarding Judi Love the first Golden Whisk trophy earlier this week, Gregg Wallace and John Torode handed Rev Richard Coles the second and final trophy of the festive specials.
TV and pantomime veteran Les Dennis was tasked with making Polish Christmas staple Pierogi, something he had never made before.
'80s popstar-turned-comedian and reverend Richard Coles had to make fried chicken, inspired by a certain fast food chain we won't name here who are so synonymous with Christmas in Japan, people need to book weeks in advance.
Soap actor and finalist of the 2021 Celebrity MasterChef series Joe Swash made yule log, a tradition in France. Gregg and John noticed he was still as messy as ever.
Singer and actress Mica Paris was asked to make pasta with truffles, obviously from Italy originally, and unfortunately she accidentally used way too much garlic.
Finally, The Only Way is Essex star Gemma Collins kept it British with a sticky figgy pudding, but decided to add chilli to it. "Interesting," said John.
Then they had to make an 'alternative' three-course Christmas dinner, putting their own spin on the most stressful meal of the year in order to snatch the victory. Mica went Jamaican, Richard combined partridge and pear, Les went fancy with venison, Joe did an I'm a Celebrity-inspired Australian BBQ meal and Gemma made mackerel.
Everyone performed well, but it was Richard who went that extra mile with all his festive references – five gold potato rings and gold, frankincense and myrrh blancmanges for desserts – and matched his inventiveness with his flavours.
Throughout the episode, Joe was noted as being super competitive, but in the end he admitted that he didn't mind losing to "God's best mate", while Richard said he could see his parishioners worshipping at the altar of the Golden Whisk.
Celebrity MasterChef Christmas Cook-Off is available to catch up with on BBC iPlayer.
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