How Grace Dent overcame family tragedy, health battle and mystery I’m A Celeb exit to land MasterChef job
FOOD critic Grace Dent is set to replace Gregg Wallace as a judge on MasterChef after the BBC axed Wallace amid misconduct allegations.
The TV star, known for her sharp critiques and appearances on I’m a Celebrity, will join John Torode for the 20th series of the hit cooking show.
Gregg, 60, was dropped following claims of inappropriate behaviour spanning 17 years, which he denies.
When the news of her casting was announced, Grace said: “I’ve been watching MasterChef since I was a girl sitting with my dad on the sofa.
“My whole family watches it. It’s all about uncovering and championing talent and to have ended up in this position, is more than a dream to me.
“I’m so excited that I can’t eat, which is severely detrimental to a restaurant critic.
“I feel very lucky to be stepping in for the next Celebrity MasterChef. I can’t wait to meet the fresh celebrity faces for 2025.”
Dad’s Dementia
In a cruel twist, Grace’s dad George tragically passed away before getting to see his daughter becoming a mainstay on his favourite show.
She announced his death in 2022 following a long battle with Dementia. Grace had lost her mum to cancer the year before.
The food critic suffered a number of hardships in life prior to taking part in the 2023 series of I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here!
And she attributed her personal misfortunes to helping her brave the jungle show.
Before flying out to Australia for the ITV hit, Grace said: “I have been through a really difficult time over the last four or five years.
“My dad had dementia, I cared for him and I lost him.
“Mum had cancer and I lost her. I think that this has made me very strong and resilient.”
Mum’s heartbreaking cancer battle
Reflecting on her mum’s passing, Grace shared on White Wine Question Time with Kate Thornton: “We were all together as a family up to the point where she died.
“And I just think that, if I am to look back on my life, I’m never going to regret that.”
Despite the immense sadness, Grace found a silver lining in how the loss brought her family closer.
She said: “I feel like I’m very different since it. In the book, I talk a lot about going back and being with my dad, when he first started to show very big signs of Alzheimer’s, and being there.
“But this part of my life, which wasn’t in the book at all, was about going back and being with my brothers, being with my sister-in-law, and just kind of that coming together.
“And having my mum finally going. She’s left a massive hole.”
Disordered eating
Grace previously opened up about her harrowing battle with disordered eating in the years leading up to her stint on I’m A Celebrity.
She said her issues around food started from childhood before going on to count calories in her teenage years.
A diet of 800 calories a day would often leave her feeling faint and blacking out.
She said: “At this age, me and most of my female friends became masters of calorie counting. Our minds hoovered up and stored for life every approxiamate kcal per hundred-gram portion.”
Writing about her teenage attitude to food in her book, she continued: “The dry Ryvitas stuck in my throat and then I couldn’t sleep at night as my stomach growled while I dreamt of morning when I could have three tablespoons of Special K with skimmed milk.
“Yes I knew 800 calories a day was too low and might make me feel faint, but f**k it, by Saturday I could wear a catsuit to the Hacienda and dance to Todd Terry and I would look f*ing incredible again for a bit.”
Quitting I’m A Celebrity
Grace quit I’m A Celebrity shortly after being voted to take part in an eating trial.
She entered the Australian jungle just over a week before, alongside fellow campmates Nigel Farage, Jamie Lynn Spears and Marvin Humes.
In a statement, ITV said: “Unfortunately Grace Dent has left the show on medical grounds.
“She has been a great campmate and will be missed by her fellow celebrities and viewers alike.”
She was seen on camera in a previous episode saying: “I just want to go home.”
However, after coming out of the jungle, she said: “Leaving my campmates and the girls will be the greatest regret of my life.”
Fresh start
MasterChef’s John Torode welcomed in his new co-host with a warm message, saying: “Grace’s expertise and passion for food make her the perfect addition to the show.”
The BBC also highlighted her extensive experience in the culinary world.
Gregg’s departure comes amid an investigation into allegations of misconduct, including inappropriate comments to colleagues.
Despite denying the claims, Wallace has acknowledged that his television career is likely over.
A source also told The Sun that John had “repeatedly” raised concerns about his Gregg’s behaviour.
A source said: “John is not stupid — of course, he was aware of some of Gregg’s less savoury behaviour. He did not condone it, and nor did he engage with it.
“He does not have a machismo sense of humour and when he made that comment about the pair of them not being friends in real life, he knew what he was doing.”