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Beloved cooking contest MasterChef is set to make its return on BBC One with two brand-new judges at the helm. Series 22 kicks off tonight (Tuesday, April 21), with celebrated chef Anna Haugh and restaurant critic Grace Dent taking charge, following the exits of Gregg Wallace and John Torode.

Gregg was axed from the programme last year after law firm Lewis Silkin upheld 45 out of 83 complaints of inappropriate behaviour against the star. The 61-year-old said he was "deeply sorry for any distress" he caused, adding that he "never set out to harm or humiliate".

John, meanwhile, was not offered a contract renewal by Banijay UK - the production company behind MasterChef - after he was alleged to have used racist language during an investigation into his former co-star's conduct. A BBC spokesperson confirmed that John denied the allegation, stating: "He has no recollection of the alleged incident and does not believe that it happened. He also says that any racial language is wholly unacceptable in any environment," reports the Mirror.

With the fresh series of MasterChef airing on BBC One tonight (Tuesday, April 21) at 9pm, here is a look at what former judges Gregg and John have been up to since their departures.

Gregg has yet to appear on television since his MasterChef exit, though he recently fronted a 12-hour live cooking show on TikTok, titled Gregg's Kitchen.

The presenter has since confirmed his "new chapter", informing his Instagram followers that he will be relocating from the UK to start a new life in Italy before the end of this month. Speaking in his social media video, Gregg said: "I've always loved Italy and we plan to move around and rent in different places, which is quite an adventure. And with the help of my autism specialist mates, I am going to home school Sid [his son] as well. It is a new chapter for us. It is a life that should be full of travel and adventure and I'm very, very much looking forward to it."

Following his departure from MasterChef, John has continued to present his ITV series, John and Lisa's Weekend Kitchen, alongside his wife Lisa Faulkner.

The pair are also preparing to relase a new cookbook in September, building on the triumph of their first book together. John and Lisa's Weeknight Dinners features "delicious" recipes designed for regular use.

"Having cooked together for 10 series of John and Lisa's Kitchen, they want to encourage people, more than ever, to cook from scratch with simple and fool proof recipes," reads the official synopsis for the book. "They use everyday supermarket ingredients, straightforward techniques and no fancy gadgets, to give people the confidence to cook and, most importantly, enjoy creating dishes for their friends and family."

MasterChef 2026's opening heat will feature six talented cooks from diverse backgrounds vying to claim one of four coveted white MasterChef aprons. The first two will go to those who wow Anna and Grace with their Signature Dish. The remaining four contestants will have one final opportunity to prove themselves as they battle for the last two aprons in the Classic Recipe Test. Those who come through successfully will then face yet another challenge to seal their quarter-final spot, as they look to win over last year's finalists with a two-course offering.

MasterChef season 22 is available to stream on BBC iPlayer