Celebrity MasterChef 2018: Who is cooking tonight? Meet this year's eight semi-finalists including AJ Pritchard and Spencer Matthews

The competition is heating up...
Cooking: Zoe Lyons, John Partridge, Stef Reid, AJ Pritchard and judge John Torode
BBC / Shine TV Ltd
Natasha Sporn20 September 2018

With the heats over, 20 celebrities have been whittled down to eight famous faces all vying for the Celebrity MasterChef trophy.

From those who impressed in their two-course meals to those who excelled under pressure in a restaurant, John Torode and Gregg Wallace have picked their semi-finalists for their toughest tests yet.

On Thursday, the remaining contestants will be sent to the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley to prepare a meal for 90 staff before heading back to the kitchen to whip up a storm with their favourite ingredient.

Ahead of tonight’s semi-final kick-off, here are the eight celebrities battling it out….

AJ Pritchard

Dancer: AJ Pritchard is a professional on Strictly Come Dancing
BBC/Shine TV

The 23-year-old became a household name when he joined hugely popular BBC show Strictly Come Dancing in 2016 with his professional partner Chloe Hewitt, who has since left the show.

He is dancing with Paralympian Lauren Steadman in the upcoming series, the second athlete he has partnered during his short time on the show.

Lisa Maxwell

Actress: Lisa Maxwell
BBC/Shine TV

The actress rose to fame as Samantha Nixon in long-running police drama The Bill, appearing between 2002 and 2009.

Since leaving the show, Maxwell stayed on screen in popular shows including EastEnders – as Noami – and Hollyoaks as Tracey Donovan.

Spencer Matthews

Contestant: Spencer Matthews
BBC/Shine TV Ltd

The proud new father shot to fame on successful E4 series Made in Chelsea, which he starred on from the first episode until 2015.

Since then, Matthews has taken to fellow reality shows like a duck to water with appearances on The Batchelor UK, The Jump and a short stay in I’m A Celebrity.

John Partridge

Star: John Partridge
BBC/Shine TV Ltd

Partridge is best known to audiences as Christian Clarke in EastEnders, a role he played for several years before leaving in 2012.

Since departing Walford, the actor went on to finish sixth on Celebrity Big Brother in January 2016.

Zoe Lyons

Comedian: Zoe Lyons ( BBC/Shine TV Ltd)
BBC/Shine TV Ltd

The comedian will be a familiar face to viewers having appeared on Mock the Week and Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow several times.

Martin Bayfield

Pictured: Martin Bayfield
BBC/Shine TV Ltd

The former police officer was part of England’s 1992 winning Five Nations Grand Slam team before he retired from the sport in 1998 following a neck injury.

The 51-year-old acted as Robbie Coltrane’s stunt double in the Harry Potter franchise, in which Coltrane played Hagrid, as well as appearing in the second film of the franchise as a young Hagrid.

Josh Cuthbert

Union J: The singer will be hoping to cook up a storm
BBC/Shine TV Ltd

The singer shot to fame as part of Union J who formed on The X Factor back in 2012.

He is the second member of the band to appear on the cookery show, after Jaymi Hansley last year.

Stef Reid

Paralympian: Stef Reid
BBC/Shine TV Ltd

The track and field Paralympian is no stranger to intense competition, ready and raring to go in a very different kind of heats.

Team GB star Reid bagged silver and bronze in the 2008 and 2012 Paralympics respectively.

Celebrity MasterChef airs Thursday 20 September at 8pm on BBC One.

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