What’s cooking? Former King of the Jungle Joe Pasquale ‘signs up’ to Celebrity MasterChef 2026
Celebrity MasterChef 2026 is already shaping up to be one of the most talked-about series yet, with reports claiming an I’m A Celebrity champion and a Celebrity Big Brother favourite are heading for the famous kitchen.
The new run of the BBC One hit is expected to air later this year, and if the rumours are true, viewers are in for a very lively mix of personalities.
Joe has signed up for the show (Credit: LBC / YouTube)
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Celebrity MasterChef 2026 line-up ‘revealed’
According to reports, a former King of the Jungle, a recent Celebrity Big Brother star and a Team GB Olympian are among the first names to sign up.
The three celebrities said to be taking part are comedian Joe Pasquale, Netflix actress Donna Preston and Team GB weightlifter Emily Campbell.
Joe first found fame in the 1980s and went on to be crowned King of the Jungle in 2008, cementing his place as a firm favourite with UK audiences.
Donna, meanwhile, appeared on last year’s Celebrity Big Brother, finishing in fourth place. She is also known for her roles in The Sandman on Netflix and Good Omens on Amazon Prime.
As for Emily, she is an Olympic medal winner, securing silver in 2020 and bronze in 2024 in weightlifting. Her silver medal in Tokyo marked Britain’s first Olympic weightlifting medal since 1984.
Donna has reportedly signed up for the show (Credit: Cover Images)
New celebs sign up for Celebrity MasterChef
A source told The Sun: “Joe is hilarious and much loved by UK audiences, so he could find that his wit gets him far in the Masterchef kitchen.
“As for Donna, she’s done a lot of reality shows in the last year, from Celeb Big Brother to Celebs Go Dating, but Masterchef will show a new side to her that fans haven’t seen before,” they added.
“The same could be said for Emily, who is fearless on the Olympic stage, but will she take the medal from the notoriously tricky to please judges?”
Emily is also joining the show, according to reports (Credit: Great Company with Jamie Laing / YouTube)
Who else is joining the show?
There are plenty more names swirling around, too.
The Sun reports that The Saturdays singer Una Healy is set to take part, while former I’m A Celebrity star Melvin Odoom has also reportedly signed up.
Coronation Street favourite Sue Cleaver, Paralympian Lauren Steadman and YouTuber Max Fosh are all said to be in the mix as well.
The upcoming series will also mark the first without John Torode following his axing, with Grace Dent and Anna Haugh stepping in to take over the reins.
ED has contacted the BBC for comment.
Read more: Celebrity MasterChef Christmas Cook Off winner revealed after one contestant serves up ‘green’ gravy
Celebrity MasterChef 2026 will air later this year on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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