Happy Mondays’ legendary Bolton-born percussionist and maraca-shaking dance extraordinaire Bez is competing in this year’s Celebrity MasterChef.
Twenty famous faces form part of the full lineup set to take part in the celebrity version of the ever-popular BBC One cooking competition, with judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace back to cast their eye over dishes.
The series will be shown over six weeks, with the celebrities tackling a new series of cookery challenges each week.
Bez – real name Mark Berry – will be representing Manchester.
He will be joined by Strictly Come Dancing’s Johannes Radebe, actress Su Pollardare, actor turned presenter Joe Swash, Blue singer Duncan James, Britain’s Got Talent finalist and comedian Nabil Abdulrashid, and The Great British Sewing Bee judge Patrick Grant.
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This year’s crop of celebrities also includes comedian Munya Chawawa, Melanie Sykes, former EastEnders actress Rita Simons, singer and reality TV star Megan McKenna and Penny Lancaster.
The Repair Shop’s Will Kirk is also among the contestants, along with TV star Katie Price, ex-England footballer Dion Dublin and journalist, author Gavin Esler, Paralympic champion Kadeena Cox, Love Island star Kem Cetinay, and actresses Melissa Johns and Michelle Collins.
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Alongside resident MasterChef judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace, a number of renowned chefs will also appear as guest judges, including Tom Kerridge, Nisha Katona, Nieves Barragan Mohacho and more.
Speaking on the announcement of the full lineup, series editor Katie Attwood said: “This year’s line-up promises a huge amount of humour and entertainment.
“Lockdown has proved productive for our famous faces’ culinary skills and we are set to see some exceptional talent and astonishing dishes as the celebrities swap their day jobs for a spot in the MasterChef kitchen”.
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BBC One / MasterChef
Sarah Clay – Commissioning Editor for the BBC – said: “Celebrity MasterChef is one the highlights of the British summertime schedule and this series is as entertaining and charming as ever.
“The 20 brave celebrities are joined by a host of chefs at the top of their game in brand new tasks which makes this year feel extra special.
“The standard of cooking is like nothing we have seen before”.
Celebrity MasterChef will return to BBC One and BBC iPlayer this summer.
Featured Image – BBC One / MasterChef
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Major pop star crowns humble rice and three cafe as ‘Jewel of Manchester’ ahead of sold-out gig
Thomas Melia
A beloved city centre takeaway has been given the title of ‘Jewel of Manchester’ by chart-topping UK singer Sam Smith.
Known for hits like ‘Stay With Me’, ‘I’m Not The Only One’ and more recently ‘Unholy’, UK pop-ballad act Sam Smith also likes to drop a food review every once in a while.
Currently on the road with a run of shows in Manchester and London for their ‘To Be Free’ live shows, Sam Smith is stopping off at some of our city’s much-loved spots.
On their food-reviewing account titled ‘Sam Served’, where they adopt the aptly-fitting nickname ‘Ham Smith’, Sam has visited restaurants across the globe – and most recently turned their attention to Manchester’s own This & That.
Smith decided to pop in and grab a cheeky rice and three from long-standing backstreet food business This & That, and it certainly went down a treat.
After sampling their amazing selection of meat, vegetable and vegan curries, the musician crowned this family-run Indian takeaway a ‘Jewel of Manchester’.
The hitmaker described this Northern Quarter Indian eatery as ‘Everything food should be’ and definitely enjoyed all the curries on offer ‘leaving belly and heart full’.
This & That prides itself on affordable and comforting food with its ‘Rice and Three Curries’ starting from just £6 – not bad for a city centre foodie spot.
Sam has racked up an impressive 490k followers via their ‘Sam Served’ profile, with famous faces like Lily Allen, Denise Welch and CMAT all wanting to know the superstar’s foodie thoughts.
After enjoying a curry or three, Sam Smith also made sure to feed their soul to by venturing down to Afflecks and getting lost in the music at Mars Tapes.
Recognised as one of the UK’s only cassette and tape shops, Mars Tapes lets you flick through their crates of physical media and even preview tracks before you buy with its dedicated listening areas.
It’s safe to say that Smith has ‘Latched’ onto Manchester’s independent business scene and we’re here for it.
The London-born artist has just released their latest album Hazel Eyes and is currently amid a UK residency tour with two dates in Manchester’s Albert Hall and eight shows set for London Coliseum.
You can now have a private sleepover amongst all the history inside Manchester Museum
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Museum is now offering one lucky family the chance to have a sleepover with Stan the Tyrannosaurus rex.
For the first time in Manchester Museum’s history, one lucky family will be given the chance to experience an incredible night at the museum.
This unique opportunity is being offered as part of a prize draw, allowing visitors to find out what happens once the sun goes down inside the Fossils and Dinosaurs gallery – in the company of Stan, the famous Tyrannosaurus rex, of course.
The Fossils and Dinosaurs gallery is one of the most iconic spaces within Manchester Museum.
Having opened to the public all the way back in 1888, it’s part of the museum’s original building designed by celebrated Alfred Waterhouse, who also designed Manchester Town Hall and London’s Natural History Museum.
Not only will the lucky winning family enjoy an overnight stay in the gallery, but they’ll also be treated to a guided torchlight tour of the galleries after the Museum has closed, as well as other fun activities and a film screening too before bed.
You can now have a private sleepover inside Manchester Museum / Credit: The Manc Group
“We can’t be completely sure what happens when the sun goes down in our Fossils and Dinosaurs gallery, because nobody has ever spent the night in there before, but we can only imagine the kind of fun that can be had with Stan the T. rex and his friends,” said Dean Whiteside, Head of Commercial and Operations at Manchester Museum.
“This is a chance to be a part of museum history and enjoy the kind of once-in-a-lifetime experience you can’t usually buy.
“At the same time, Manchester Museum is a charity so, by getting behind this initiative, you’ll be helping to support vital work that impacts the lives of people across Greater Manchester and beyond.”
Fancy it then? You can enter the prize draw by buying a ticket for £5 from the Manchester Museum Shop, with each ticket counting as one entry and the winner set to be chosen at random from all valid entries.
The prize draw is now open and closes on Monday 28 September 2026.
Emily Sergeant -
22nd April 2021 
