Here's who won Celebrity Masterchef 2021 - and finale recipes explained

Kadeena Cox, Joe Swash, and Megan McKenna competed for the crown with their three-course meal creations (Photo: Shine TV)Kadeena Cox, Joe Swash, and Megan McKenna competed for the crown with their three-course meal creations (Photo: Shine TV)
Kadeena Cox, Joe Swash, and Megan McKenna competed for the crown with their three-course meal creations (Photo: Shine TV)

Celebrity Masterchef crowned its winner last night (Friday 17 September), after a host of celebrities battled it out week after week to be named champion.

But who won this year’s series and which celebrities were runners-up?

Here’s what you need to know.

Who won Celebrity Masterchef 2021?

This year’s series saw a whole host of celebrities take part in the cooking show, with Katie Price, Melanie Sykes and Bez from the Happy Mondays all competing.

But only three could make it to the final, with Paralympian Kadeena Cox, actor Joe Swash and reality star Megan McKenna all securing a place in the final show.

After preparing a three-course meal highlighting their skills in the kitchen, it was Cox who was crowned winner, adding Masterchef champion to her list of wins.

Following her victory, the Paralymian - who suffers from Multiple Sclerosis (MS) - said: "I gave everything I could today. I am absolutely buzzing. This smile is not disappearing from my face for a while. I am just proud of myself for doing it.

"I didn't change who I was, I learnt along the way but I was still Kadeena right to the end. It has just been a great journey and one that I am never going to forget."

She whipped up a feast for judges John Torode and Greg Wallace in Friday’s finale, preparing a starter of torched salmon marinated in lime juice with caviar, tempura prawn topped with a crabmeat mayonnaise, asparagus salad, and a Bloody Mary granite.

For the main course, she served a French trimmed rack of lamb, Caribbean curried goat pie, roasted carrots, spinach, silver skin onions and a lamb curry sauce, finishing off her menu with a Choux au Craquelin filled with mascarpone whipped cream, hazelnut praline crumb and tempered chocolate.

After her win, judge John Torode said: "So many times during this year's competition I forgot Kadeena had Multiple Sclerosis and was not only battling for the trophy but had her own personal battle going on.

"She just never let up, she didn't stop. For me, she is a true inspiration. Her food is special, not just because it is technically brilliant but also because it has heart, it's got soul and it's got love."

Gregg Wallace added: "What a lovely, lovely final. Today from Kadeena we got very special dishes. It's not just the quality of Kadeena's cooking, it's the originality of the ideas."There is a reason she has a bedroom full of medals, she is a serious competitor."

Who were the runners-up?

Actor Joe Swash and singer and reality star Megan McKenna both came runners-up in the competition after making it to the final.

Swash was known throughout the competition for cooking dishes close to his heart, as well as being one of the messiest chefs in this year’s series.

His three-course meal consisted of a caramelised onion, pecorino and tomato tart, coq au vin and a pavlova-style dessert.

Throughout the completion, McKenna championed gluten-free options, showing that delicious dishes can still be made without gluten.

Her three-course meal was made up with classic dishes, including a scallops and pea puree starter, duck breast main with dauphinoise potatoes and a gluten-free lemon tart for dessert.

However, both just missed out on being crowned winner of this year’s series.

Cox follows in the footsteps of previous Celebrity MasterChef winners Riyadh Khalaf, Greg Rutherford, John Partridge, Angellica Bell, Alexis Conran, Kimberly Wyatt, as well as Sophie Thompson, Ade Edmondson, Emma Kennedy, Phil Vickery, Lisa Faulkner, Jayne Middlemiss, Liz McClarnon, Nadia Sawalha and Matt Dawson.

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