Recent rumours have linked chef Tom Kerridge to the vacant MasterChef hosting role following the controversial departures of Gregg Wallace and John Torode. However, the 51-year-old chef has dismissed these claims in an exclusive interview with MailOnline Travel.
“The phone hasn’t rang yet! I doubt it will be me but whoever does get the role has a magical experience coming their way. It’s a phenomenal show,” Kerridge commented.
Born and raised in Gloucester, Kerridge is already deeply committed to his career. He spends nine weeks annually filming the BBC’s Great British Menu and has just completed filming the follow-up to ITV’s Tom Kerridge Cooks Britain. Beyond television, he owns six restaurants, including the two Michelin-starred pub The Hand and Flowers, with his portfolio valued at over £37 million.
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Kerridge shared memories from his childhood summers, which were mostly spent enjoying simple pleasures with friends close to home. “To be honest, I didn’t really have many holidays. We had a couple to the Isle of Wight, my mum, myself and my brother. We went probably two or three years in a row to a holiday camp, staying in chalets. It felt really important for me because we went on a ferry—it felt like we were properly leaving,” he reflected.
He also holds a fondness for Weston-super-Mare, describing it as “a big holiday town” just down the M5 from Gloucester, filled with treasured memories.
Uncertainty remains about who will permanently replace Torode and Wallace, who were removed from the show following an investigation into their conduct, which upheld allegations against both. Food critic Grace Dent has stepped in for the celebrity edition, but her status as a permanent replacement on the amateur series is still unknown.
In the aftermath, Wallace issued a statement apologising for any distress caused and insisted he never intended to harm or humiliate. Torode, meanwhile, denied the allegations and expressed frustration over his exit, stating he had no contact from the BBC or Banijay regarding the matter.