Comedian Judi Love has said being crowned the Celebrity MasterChef festive champion for 2021 “made her Christmas”.
The TV personality beat reality star Joey Essex, Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer Oti Mabuse, ex-footballer Neil Ruddock, and national treasure Su Pollard to win one of two golden whisk trophies up for grabs this year.
Love, who was the fifth celebrity to be eliminated from Strictly this year, won BBC One’s first Celebrity MasterChef Christmas Cook-Off, with a Caribbean-themed Christmas dinner.
The 41-year-old served a rolled turkey breast stuffed with jerk seasoning, served with parsnip puree, carrots, stuffing, roast potatoes, crispy turkey skin and a cranberry and scotch bonnet chilli jam, which judge Gregg Wallace described as “nothing short of fantastic”.
After the two hour and 15 minute challenge, the actress also presented a Jamaican Christmas black cake with a sorrel sauce and a stout and rum punch ice-cream, with judge John Torode saying: “I love it.”
Earlier the stars were put through the infamous invention test where they had to create a dish using ingredients found in a seasonal advent calendar.
Loose Woman star Love said: “Bring on the prosecco and let’s start this party. I am so excited; my kids and family are going to be so happy.
“I am overwhelmed, it is a beautiful feeling and has made my Christmas.”
Wallace said: “Judi put a whole lot of love into her two dishes. She is a fun, joyous cook who took familiar Christmas ingredients and added Caribbean sunshine to it.
“It was a real winning formula, it was outstanding.”
Torode added: “Judi kept the heart and the soul of the world she has grown up with in her dishes and she made them fantastic. Good on her.”
Another group of celebrities will be competing for a golden whisk on the second Celebrity MasterChef Christmas Cook-Off on Thursday December 23 on BBC One.