TV host and chef Matt Tebbutt will replace Gregg Wallace as a judge on the next series of MasterChef: The Professionals following the presenter’s exit from the programme.
Tebbutt, 51, who is best known for hosting BBC One’s Saturday Kitchen, will join existing judges Marcus Wareing and Monica Galetti on the panel for the 18th series of the cooking competition programme.
They will be joined by a range of guest judges, who will appear in the first stage of the competition.
Speaking ahead of the upcoming series, Tebbutt said it was “an absolute honour” to be working alongside Wareing and Galetti, who he described as “titans of the food world”.
He said: “Their knowledge and uncompromising attitude is now the stuff of legend, and I look forward to them taking me under their wing and seeing the chefs get off to a flying start in the competition.”
Tebbutt has worked at prestigious restaurants, including Oak Room Marco Pierre White and The Criterion in London’s Piccadilly Circus. He previously ran The Foxhunter pub in Abergavenny, Wales, but gave up to pursue a TV career.
He hosts the BBC’s Saturday Kitchen, as well as Channel 4’s documentary series Food Unwrapped and the cooking programme Drop Down Menu.
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In a statement following the announcement, Wareing said he’s “really looking forward” to working with Tebbutt. “His experience, both on screen and in the industry, speaks for itself,” the chef said.
He continued: “This show is all about showcasing and celebrating the best up-and-coming talent emerging from our country’s professional kitchens, and Matt, Monica, and I will be expecting the highest standards from our chefs this year. I can’t wait for what will be a fantastic next series.”
Galetti said Tebbutt’s appointment is “really exciting” for the programme and added that she looked forward to welcoming the Saturday Kitchen star into the MasterChef kitchen to find the next champion of The Professionals series.
The news of Wallace’s replacement comes after the presenter was sacked following a series of misconduct allegations relating to his time on the amateur series of MasterChef.
Wallace was fired by the BBC after an independent report substantiated 45 allegations against him, including claims of inappropriate sexual language and one incident of unwelcome physical contact.
He has apologised “for any distress caused”, saying the report into his misconduct cleared him of “the most serious and sensational accusations”.
His co-host Torode was also the subject of an allegation about using racist language that was upheld as part of the Lewis Silkin review, and was also dropped from the show. The TV star said he had “no recollection of the incident” and was “shocked and saddened” by the allegation.
The most recent series of MasterChef was broadcast despite the controversy surrounding its hosts. The BBC said in a statement it was the “right thing to do” for the cooks who have “given so much time to the process”.
‘MasterChef: The Professionals’ will air on BBC One with an air date yet to be announced.
