Celebrity MasterChef viewers were astounded that Joe Swash wasn’t sent packing after serving partially raw duck as the competition comes to a close.
The latest episode of Celebrity MasterChef saw six celebs battle it out in a bid to secure a place in the final. The competitors were; presenter Melanie Sykes, presenter and actor Joe Swash, Olympic athlete Kadeena Cox, former footballer Dion Dublin, Love Island’s Kem Cetinay and The Only Way is Essex‘s Megan McKenna.
The challenge they were given was to serve up “one beautiful dish” within an hour and 20 minutes to impress critics Jimi Famurewa, Grace Dent and William Sitwell.
Swash hoped his pan-fried duck in a red wine and cherry sauce would wow the judges, but as he cut the duck before serving, the meat started “bleeding” onto the plate.
“Let me try and suck up some of this blood,” he said as he mopped the plate with a napkin.
As Swash left the kitchen with the plates, MasterChef judge Gregg Wallace grimaced: “That’s leaking out everywhere”.
Once the dish was served to the critics, Famurewa said: "It’s bleeding onto the plate, that’s melding with the cream which isn’t hugely appetising.”
Sitwell added: "In my single piece of duck there are bits that are almost raw and bits that are overcooked. I don’t know how you do that."
Wallace commented: “Duck flesh is pink and beautiful but it’s off-putting to have blood on a plate.”
Sampling it for himself, judge John Torode said: “Besides that it actually tastes really good.”
Despite Swash’s blunder, it was Sykes who was sent home after serving her risotto 10 minutes late.
Fans of the show took to Twitter to vent about the I’m a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! winner’s dish:
Joe Swash serves Duck that is still quacking and fondant potatoes that are roast potatoes but still goes through? I'm sorry I've said it before and I'll say it again.....FIX. If he wins it's a farce. #CelebrityMasterChef
— Callie-O ☘ 999 Supporter 💙💚 (@Carolin93889805) September 11, 2021
i am outraged that joe swash is getting through over mel. they've decided he’s going to win haven’t they. #CelebrityMasterChef
— ken edwards (@kened) September 10, 2021
Joe Swash serves raw food and still gets through to the final? Joke
— Emma Rose Spain (@emms21uk) September 10, 2021
Joe Swash irrates me. How he is still in is beyond me. Will serves raw duck and goes home. Joe serves raw duck and stays in. Go figured #CelebrityMasterChef
— Jo Bullock (@gnomejo) September 11, 2021
#CelebrityMasterChef Let's be honest, TV is rigged.
— Johanna Ellison (@JohannaEllison) September 11, 2021
We could throw Marco Pierre White into the Masterchef kitchen now and Joe Swash would still win.
Some tweeted in support of Swash, with one Twitter user remarking that he seems like a “genuinely nice guy.”
I can’t work out why people don’t like Joe Swash. He just seems like a genuinely nice guy. 🤷🏻♂️ #CelebrityMasterChef #MasterChefUK #MasterChef
— RH (@oyenry) September 10, 2021
I love Joe Swash - we need more joy #CelebrityMasterChef
— Tina💙 (@ChristinaMaroc) September 10, 2021
To watch the action for yourself, you can catch up on BBC iPlayer.
