Gregg Wallace and John Torode were both sacked last month after a report into conduct on the cooking show upheld allegations against them. The BBC decided to still show this year's amateur series - filmed before they were sacked - saying it was "the right thing to do" for the chefs who took part.

Haugh, best known for hosting the BBC cookery show Big Irish Food Tour, has made appearances on Celebrity MasterChef in the past, and in 2022, she joined Wallace and Marcus Wareing as a judge for MasterChef: The Professionals.