GIORGIO LOCATELLI JOINS CELEBRITY MASTERCHEF AS TORODE REPLACEMENT

Italian chef Giorgio Locatelli will co-host Celebrity MasterChef following the BBC's decision to remove John Torode from the programme. The BBC confirmed Locatelli as Torode's replacement on the long-running cooking competition. Torode had co-presented the celebrity edition of the show before his departure from the corporation. Locatelli will appear alongside existing host Gregg Wallace in the new series.

Giorgio Locatelli is an Italian-born chef with an established profile in British food television and the restaurant industry. He holds a Michelin star for his London restaurant Locanda Locatelli. The BBC axed Torode from the programme, ending his association with the MasterChef franchise. Torode had been a fixture on MasterChef in various formats for a number of years prior to his exit.

The casting of Locatelli marks a change in direction for the celebrity format, introducing a chef with a distinct culinary background to the presenting team. Celebrity MasterChef remains one of the BBC's established factual entertainment programmes. The new series featuring Locatelli is in production. No broadcast date has been confirmed by the BBC at this stage.