Channel 5 News has issued an apology after mistakenly revealing the winner of Celebrity MasterChef before the programme had been broadcast on the BBC.
The first Christmas special of the competitive cooking show saw comedian Judi Love crowned the festive champion and winning one of two golden whisk trophies up for grabs this year.
In the festive episode, the TV personality went head to head against reality star Joey Essex, Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer Oti Mabuse, ex-footballer Neil Ruddock, and national treasure Su Pollard to claim the title.
However, minutes before the programme was due to air on BBC One at 8pm, Channel 5 News accidentally spoiled the announcement.
We would like to say sorry for mistakenly announcing the winner of BBC1's Celebrity Masterchef before it was revealed on the programme tonight. Apologies to all fans of the show.
— Channel 5 News (@5_News) December 21, 2021
A statement posted to Twitter by Channel 5’s News account said: “We would like to say sorry for mistakenly announcing the winner of BBC1’s Celebrity Masterchef before it was revealed on the programme tonight.
“Apologies to all fans of the show.”
Love, who was the fifth celebrity to be eliminated from Strictly this year, won the 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.
Another group of celebrities will be competing for a golden whisk on the second Celebrity MasterChef Christmas Cook-Off on December 23 on BBC One.