On Thursday (July 30th), MasterChef aired the semi-final and final of the 2020 series, but why did Gethin Jones leave?
Celebrity MasterChef returned for a 15th series this year, bringing another hopeful cast of celebrities in a bid to impress judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace.
And after weeks of tough culinary tasks and serious competition, Irish broadcaster Riyadh Khalaf received the coveted MasterChef title.
However, presenter Gethin Jones had to drop just before the final stages of the BBC series. So, did he miss the finale due to illness?
Presenter misses MasterChef
In the first part of Thursday’s back-to-back semi-final and final, Gethin was due to appear alongside Judi Love, Sam Quek, Phil Daniels, Amar Latif, Sir Matthew Pinsent and Riyadh Khalaf.
The remaining celebrities competed for a place in the final three of the 2020 finale.
However, judge Gregg Wallace revealed that Gethin won’t appear in the next stage of the competition because he was “unwell”. Gregg explained:
“Gethin is not joining us. He is unwell. And I’m sure, like us, you wish him all the best and a very speedy recovery.”
Did Gethin miss MasterChef because of illness?
Taking to Twitter, the Welsh presenter revealed that he had to leave because he contracted “symptoms of Covid-19”.
He thanked his followers for the messages he received, saying that he was “absolutely gutted” about his early exit from the BBC show.
Gethin wrote:
Thank you for all your lovely messages re @MasterChefUK. I had symptoms of Covid-19 the morning of the next stage. Absolutely GUTTED… but it was the easiest decision. Would never put anyone at risk. Enjoy the next hour – these guys can cook!!!
Fans react on Twitter
Viewers at home took to the comment section of Gethin’s tweet to share their reactions. Many were gutted that he had to leave early and said that he should have received the MasterChef title this year.
One viewer said: “Absolutely gutted for you! I honestly thought you would have won. Well done for all you achieved during the competition. You should be proud of yourself.”
Another one reacted: “Oh my gosh. Please, please, please go for the next one. You should deserve to get round to the quarters without going through the rest.”
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