Who are the new MasterChef judges? BBC confirms line-up for series 22
MasterChef has confirmed its new judges for the 2026 series 👨🍳
- MasterChef has unveiled its line-up for next year’s series.
- The show was forced into changing judges after the axing of Gregg Wallace and John Torode.
- But who will replace them in the future episodes?
MasterChef has revealed the new look judging line-up for next year’s edition. It comes after the new host of The Professional spin-off was also announced.
The Beeb was forced into revamping the judges for its flagship food show after the sackings of Gregg Wallace and John Torode. Both were let go in July following separate internal investigations.
Matt Tebbutt will be joining the judging panel for MasterChef: The Professionals. However, the BBC has confirmed its fully new look line-up for the regular amateur show.
Who are the new MasterChef judges?
It has been announced today (September 8) that Grace Dent and Anna Haugh will be the new judges on MasterChef. The duo will replace Gregg Wallace and John Torode for the 2026 series of the show.
Award-winning restaurant critic and journalist, Grace Dent, and Chef Patron of Myrtle Restaurant and TV presenter, Anna Haugh, are both experienced MasterChef judges across various series.
Grace has been a regular guest critic on MasterChef for over a decade, and was a contestant herself competing on MasterChef: Battle of the Critics 2023. She is also a judge in the next series of Celebrity MasterChef.
Meanwhile Anna Haugh was a judge on MasterChef: The Professionals in 2022 and will be a judge in the final week of this year’s MasterChef, which is currently airing on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Grace said: "I’m over the moon to be coming back to the MasterChef kitchen and unearthing what culinary skills people have been cooking up behind closed doors. It’s a joy to be working with Anna, who brings all her incredible experience to the table. I am in for such a treat with this series, I can’t wait to get started."
Anna added: "I’m delighted to be back on MasterChef and judging alongside the wonderful Grace Dent, whose writing and wit I’ve admired for years. MasterChef has long inspired and resonated with cooks in home kitchens and of course in my industry. I can’t wait to get into the studio for what will be a great competition."
BBC offer ‘big welcome’ to new judges
The current delayed season of MasterChef is airing, with knockout week set to begin. It was pushed back to August due to the investigations into John Torode and Gregg Wallace.
Despite announcing the pair had been sacked in July, the Beeb decided to go ahead with the season. The broadcaster said it had not been an ‘easy decision’ but wanted to highlight the hard work of the amateurs who had competed - the episodes were filmed in 2024 before the allegations came to light.
The new judging panel for MasterChef UK will make their debut next year with the series set to be filmed. Twenty-one episodes have been commissioned for series 22.
MasterChef Executive Editor, David Ambler, said: “A big welcome to Grace and Anna to the MasterChef judging team. Both are enormously respected in the hospitality industry and we can’t wait for them to uncover some more great cooking talent - from home kitchens across the country.”
Kalpna Patel-Knight, Head of Entertainment Commissioning, added: "Grace and Anna are already part of the MasterChef family and together have culinary credentials that are second to none. Both viewers watching the series and the amateur cooks taking part can be assured that in the search for the next MasterChef UK Champion, Grace and Anna know exactly what is needed in order to rise to the top!"
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