
There are a few reality shows pumped out by the BBC each year that make the licence fee considerably easier to swallow.
Strictly Come Dancing, The Apprentice, The Traitors, Race Across the World and the recent return of Gladiators all make for essential viewing, and MasterChef is certainly in that bracket.
It also comes in multiple delicious formats.

The 2024 series of Celebrity MasterChef was yet another great in the long-running MasterChef canon, featuring Charlotte Crosby from Geordie Shore, Diane Carson from The Traitors, Chloe Burrows from Love Island, and Mutya Buena from Sugababes.
Televised cooking battles are the main draw, but users on X have noted another point of intrigue that’s been hiding in plain sight over all these years.
The M embedded in a metallic swirl isn’t just a bit of overdesigned lettering, as it turns out.
"I literally just realised the MasterChef logo is shaped like a hob and it’s blown my mind," said an X user.
Another said: "Only just noticed that the MasterChef logo is an electric cooker hob!"

The electrical hob element hasn’t sat well with some people, however.
"I am always unreasonably annoyed about how the MasterChef logo is based on an electric hob when real chefs use gas hobs," posited another user.
Another asked: "Why is the MasterChef logo an electric hob when no actual 'MasterChef' would ever dream of cooking on an electric hob?"
"They'll need to sort that,” said another. Considering a recent presenter change that the show has faced, it seems they’ve got bigger fish to fry.
The celebrity edition of the show is particularly interesting, as there’s generally much more variability in skill levels between contestants and, perhaps, more room for surprises where top-drawer dinners are concerned.

Exemplifying the fun of bringing non-professionals into the MasterChef kitchen, former contestant and ex-footballer Jake Quickenden said his at-home cooking isn’t always the most advanced.
"I mostly rely on an air fryer, often throwing meals together that I’ve always known so I’m not very adventurous,” he said. “I love that the show pushes you out of your comfort zone with cooking things you wouldn’t normally.”
Featured Image Credit: FOX via Getty ImagesTopics: Celebrity, TV and Film