The channel said it was "the right thing to do" for the chefs who took part, but British broadcast union Bectu has criticized the BBC for rewarding "bad behavior" with prime-time coverage.

MasterChef fans will be surprised to see John Torode and Gregg Wallace still on the BBC show despite both of them being axed from the programme after separate scandals.

What do you want from this competition? Why are you here?” Gregg Wallace asked 70-year-old contestant Penelope at the start of the new series of MasterChef. Viewers wondered the same of the programme.