logo
MasterChef fans start campaign for telly favourite to land hosting spot after John Torode and Gregg Wallace axed

MasterChef fans start campaign for telly favourite to land hosting spot after John Torode and Gregg Wallace axed

The Irish Sun17-07-2025
MASTERCHEF fans have declared another TV chef as their favourite to take over from John Torode after his exit from the long-running programme.
6
The fight for the MasterChef hosting spots is on
Credit: PA
6
Andi, pictured with daughter Miquita, is a fan favourite
Credit: Getty
6
Andi has already built a bubbly reputation as host of Great British Menu
Credit: BBC
The chef has maintained he has 'no recollection' of the incident itself and did not believe it happened, with the report noting a complaint was not received at the time, but had been raised with investigators.
The BBC was also unable to specify the time or date of the allegation, narrowing it down to '2018 or 2019'.
Regardless, after the production team confirmed they would not be renewing his contract,
Now fans have started speculating over who could take his place, with
READ MORE MASTERCHEF
Andi, mother of another presenting fave Miquita Oliver, has been host of Great British Menu for the past nine years – another BBC long-running cooking show that pits established chefs against each other in heats before the finale banquet.
Now cooking show superfans believe she could be the saviour of the flailing show now that both of the hosts have been booted.
Speaking on
'Andi Oliver, Grace [Dent] and Jay [Rayner],' responded another.
Most read in TV
"I think they're among a small group that would at least make it feel like there was a reason to keep watching.
'I suspect it'll be a mash up of one of the mainstays with a whole new person from the bottom drawer of the beeb to 'reinvigorate' the series though,' they added.
Masterchef meltdown as BBC asked John Torode to RESIGN over 'racist remark' before Gregg Wallace sacking
'Andi would be beyond excellent,' said a second. 'I'd also love to see Jay Rayner in the role. What about a three presenter lineup?'
The Story So Far
Torode's exit comes eight months after co-host Gregg Wallace had multiple complaints made against him while on the set of MasterChef.
Following the complaints, an inquiry carried out by law firm Lewis Silkin for production company Banijay produced
Of all the complaints, only one is believed to involve Torode in any way, with the chef reportedly making a 'racist remark' in a social situation, without malicious intent and with an immediate apology.
A source close to him saying he was 'absolutely devastated to have been pulled into this mess'.
The dad of four later said in a statement: 'The allegation is I did so sometime between 2018 or 2019, in a social situation, and the person I was speaking with did not believe it was intended in a malicious way and I apologised immediately afterwards.
"I have absolutely no recollection of any of this, and I do not believe that it happened.
'However, I want to be clear that I've always had the view that any racial language is wholly unacceptable in any environment.
'I'm shocked and saddened by the allegation as I would never wish to cause anyone any offence.'
6
Andi has been hosting Great British Menu for 10 years
Credit: BBC
6
John and Gregg have both been axed from MasterChef
Credit: Alamy
6
Will Andi be on hand to look after the up-and-coming stars of MasterChef?
Credit: BBC
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Patrick Kielty in line for new Late Late contract following Cat Deeley split
Patrick Kielty in line for new Late Late contract following Cat Deeley split

Irish Daily Mirror

time2 hours ago

  • Irish Daily Mirror

Patrick Kielty in line for new Late Late contract following Cat Deeley split

Late Late Show star Patrick Kielty wants to host the smash hit chat show long-term despite the break-up of his marriage to Cat Deeley. RTE executives are fully supportive of him and prepared to offer the chatterbox comedian a lucrative new deal when his current €250,000 a year contract expires next May, we can reveal. Friends of the couple are adamant that Kielty, 54, working in Ireland had nothing to do with the marriage split and Paddy and Cat, 48, had effectively been living apart in the same house for over a year. One source said: 'He was spending on average two nights a week in Ireland. He would usually fly in on Thursday and do the show live on Friday nights, 30 times a year. 'He would then drive up north and do his BBC Five Live radio show on Saturday mornings from the Belfast studios and fly back to London afterwards. 'He still saw plenty of his wife and the two sons. Patrick Kielty and Cat Deeley (Image: Getty Images) 'The problem was the personal relationship between them just seemed to break down for whatever reasons. They are both strong personalities who speak their mind. Neither was seeing anyone else, there was definitely no third party involved.' Paddy has now done two seasons of the Late Late Show since the departure of Ryan Tubridy. RTE said he has been a roaring success and has completely stabilized and grown the ratings, which fluctuate between 400,000 to 500,000 a week now between the live audience and the RTE Player. But crucially for the national broadcaster, advertisers and sponsors have come running back to its flagship No 1 show. One RTE insider said: 'Paddy Kielty has been like a breath of fresh air here. 'He has come in with his own ideas and transformed and improved the Late Late Show, making it relevant again. 'He has also improved the calibre of guests and he has no problem getting on the phone and persuading some top stars to come to Dublin. 'Absolutely no-one on the show knew he was having marital difficulties because he kept it to himself. Kielty took over hosting the Late Late Show from Ryan Tubridy in September 2023 (Image: PA) 'When he comes to Dublin he is strictly business, extremely professional and doesn't talk about his personal life. 'He hardly ever mentioned his wife during his two years here and she never came to Ireland to watch his show which is in itself very strange. 'All the Late Late team have great time for him because he is a very humble down to earth fella. 'Everyone is devastated that his marriage is over but in the high-stakes, highly-pressurised showbiz world, these things happen.' Kielty has made it clear he really enjoys being back in Ireland and presenting The Late Late Show. He has told friends he would like to renew his contract at the end of his three-year term and keep presenting the show – and top executives in RTE let him know privately they want to keep him. RTE sources said any talks on a new deal haven't started yet but they expect it to get sorted over the coming year. Kielty and Cat would have been married 13 years this September. Cat Deeley and Patrick Kielty in happier times (Image: hoto by) They lived in a mansion in Beverly Hills for several years after they tied the knot in Rome in 2012 while she presented the popular American show So You Think You Can Dance. They and their two sons Milo, 9, and James, 7, returned to London in 2020. Cat resurrected her TV career in the UK when she took over as co- presenter on the This Morning daytime show on ITV and Virgin Media along with Ben Shephard in March last year following the controversial departure of Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield. The €600,000 a year job meant she was up at 5am and into the studio from Monday to Thursday every week. No one suspected their marriage was on the rocks. However, when Paddy's mother Mary died in March, eyebrows were raised when Cat and the children didn't show up for the funeral in his home village of Dundrum, Co Down. His sons adored their Irish granny and spent their summers with her, with the elder lad playing Gaelic football. Patrick Kielty and Cat Deeley attend the London Premiere of "Ballywalter" at The May Fair Hotel on September 18, 2023 in London, England. (Image: 2023 David M. Benett) The Late Late broadcaster is a very committed father and family man and will continue to live in London to be near his kids. The RTE source added: 'He will be back here in September when we go back on air and he will fly in and out from London doing his thing. 'Knowing Paddy he will give the show 110% and he won't let this personal setback hamper his career. 'You can expect the new season of the Late Late to be bigger and better than ever.' Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.

Eamon Dunphy's most savage punditry putdowns as legendary RTE analyst turns 80
Eamon Dunphy's most savage punditry putdowns as legendary RTE analyst turns 80

Irish Daily Mirror

time2 hours ago

  • Irish Daily Mirror

Eamon Dunphy's most savage punditry putdowns as legendary RTE analyst turns 80

Irish football institution Eamon Dunphy turns 80 on Sunday, August 3. The one time Manchester United apprentice had a great career in England and Ireland as a player but he is best known for his contribution to the analysis of the game in recent decades. As an RTE pundit alongside Johnny Giles and Liam Brady, the group became unmissable viewing under the stewardship of presenter Bill O'Herlihy on the national broadcaster and often provided more entertainment than the game itself. While Giles and Brady produced their finest moments on the field as two of the greatest Irish footballers of all time, Dunphy really shone under the spotlight of the TV cameras. In 2018, he stepped back from his RTE TV duties and he has been sorely missed by football fans on the box. His acid tongue and brutally honest opinions were often the highlight of any live TV game on RTE. As a long-time pundit, Dunphy watched some of the finest players in the history of the game and has been suitable unimpressed by quite a lot of them. The following are players Dunphy has described as 'not great on TV: Steven Gerrard (a nothing player) Zinedine Zidane (not a great player) Michel Platini (not a great player, no bottle) Diego Maradona (not a great player) Dunphy could wax lyrical about a player when he wanted to but it's the cutting comments that will live longest in the memory. As the legendary Dubliner turns 80, we look back at his 10 best one-liners and putdowns. 1. On Harry Kewell: "He's fat and a clown, a fat clown for all to see" 2. On Niall Quinn: "Niall Quinn is a creep. The man's an idiot, a Mother Teresa" 3. On Cristiano Ronaldo: " Ronaldo is a disgrace to the game. His petulance, temperament, throwing himself on the ground. It was a disgrace to professional football. This fella Ronaldo is a cod." 4. On Mick McCarthy: "He's one of the biggest whingers in world football… he's a bloody eejit." Bill O'Herlihy, Johnny Giles, Liam Brady and Eamon Dunphy in the RTE studio 5. On Steve Staunton: "Would you let him drive the train to Cork?" 6. On John Giles: "Usually it takes a bottle of Bacardi and a gallon of Coke to get John out of his seat." 7. On Garth Crooks interviewing Sven Goran Eriksson on BBC: "That's the first time I've seen sex between two men on the BBC." 8. On the very hostile boardroom at Real Madrid: "Bill, Bill... those directors over there are on another planet. They're on mushrooms or on acid, Bill." 9. On John Hartson: "I have a clip here of why Hartson is NOT a £7million it there Bill! (1 second in to the clip) Ok, hold it there Bill. (Draws a circle around Hartson's arse) Bill, that is NOT the arse of a £7million player!'' 10. On the Alex Ferguson-Gordon Strachan feud: 'Scots they're either nice or they're horrid and these two are horrid. Bill: 'The Scots wont like that Eamon, that's bordering on racism'. Eamon: 'It's not racism, it's ethnic criticism, Bill'.

Ozzy Osbourne ‘buried near bat boxes' put in trees on Bucks estate for the animals to thrive
Ozzy Osbourne ‘buried near bat boxes' put in trees on Bucks estate for the animals to thrive

The Irish Sun

time7 hours ago

  • The Irish Sun

Ozzy Osbourne ‘buried near bat boxes' put in trees on Bucks estate for the animals to thrive

OZZY Osbourne has been buried near bat boxes and a family friend said it feels "like Ozzy had the last laugh'. The Black Sabbath legend, who died on July 22 at the age of 76, was Advertisement 8 Ozzy has been laid to rest on his Buckinghamshire estate Credit: Getty 8 The gated residence is tucked away in the countryside Credit: mancpicss66 / Aaron Parfitt 8 The Prince of Darkness was buried on Thursday Credit: Getty - Contributor A family friend told the 'After all those decades caught up in this drama around bats and animal rights groups, here at his final resting place there are bespoke bat boxes to help encourage the animals thrive in the UK countryside. "It has prompted quite a few laughs and funny ­reactions. It is just like Ozzy had the last laugh.' One of the most controversial moments of the heavy metal singer's career came in January 1982, when he famously bit the head off a bat on stage. Advertisement Read more on Ozzy Something small and black landed near him on stage during a show at Des Moines' Veterans Memorial Auditorium. Believing it was a rubber toy, Ozzy picked it up and bit into it. In his 2010 autobiography I Am Ozzy, he wrote: "Somebody threw a bat. I just thought it was a rubber bat. And I picked it up and put it in my mouth. I bit into it. Immediately, he continued, "something felt wrong. Very wrong". Advertisement Most read in Celebrity Exclusive Ozzy said he deeply regretted the incident as he had to have daily rabies shots for months. It remains unclear whether the bat was alive or dead - in a 2006 interview with the BBC, Ozzy described it as a 'dead real bat'. Tearful Sharon Osbourne reads fans' touching tributes to beloved husband Ozzy as she joins family at funeral procession Buckinghamshire - home to many brown long-eared and pipistrelle bats - has recently taken steps to improve bat conservation. On Thursday, an Advertisement Tents were erected on the 250-acre grounds of the house Ozzy and Sharon bought in 1993, along with a stage where tributes were paid to the rocker. The home was decorated with pictures of Ozzy, and mourners were given a photograph of him to take home. 8 Sharon wore Ozzy's ring on a chain around her neck at the procession on Wednesday Credit: Splash 8 Sharon read tributes alongside daughter Kelly Credit: i-Images Advertisement 8 Zakk Wylde and Marilyn Manson attended the funeral on Thursday Credit: Splash 8 Ozzy's name was displayed with pink flowers at his funeral cortege Credit: Alamy 110 of the singer's nearest and dearest attended, joining his wife Sharon and his children Jack, 39, Advertisement Rock icon Marilyn Manson flew in from the US to attend, alongside Ozzy's guitarist Zakk Wylde and Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor. The family friend said: 'Everyone at the service just wanted to support Sharon and the kids, it has been an awful time. 'Toasts were raised, memories were shared - it was a very fitting goodbye. 'Ozzy wanted his final place of rest to be at home and he is buried at a beautiful point on the lake. Advertisement 'As well as the 'Ozzy f***ing Osbourne' wreath, which made people smile, there was another floral tribute which spelt out 'Ozzy' that was placed by the fountain on the lake. 'There was a stage where people including Yungblud, who grew very close to Ozzy in recent years, were set to pay tribute to him. 'The day was incredibly emotional. Pictures of Ozzy were dotted throughout the house and a photograph of him was given to everyone who attended to take home with them.' Guests were sent a simple black invitation featuring a cross and the words: 'In loving memory of Ozzy Osbourne.' Advertisement The road leading to the couple's Buckinghamshire home near Gerrards Cross was closed from 1pm. Mourners were transported from The Crowne Plaza and The Bull in Gerrards Cross to the house at 2pm, with the service starting at 3pm. The day before, thousands of fans gathered in the streets of Birmingham to pay tribute to Ozzy. 8 Fans gather to pay tribute to Ozzy in a procession in Birmingham Credit: Getty Advertisement

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store