Celebrity MasterChef 2025 winner crowned after close-run final as bookies' favourite is defeated
John Torode declared the winning menu "show-stopping, absolute brilliance"Celebrity MasterChef 2025 delivered a thrilling final episode, ahead of the winner being revealed. And right to the end of the contest, it was hard to guess who would receive the coveted trophy.
Going into the final, the bookies’ odds were on Dawn O’Porter to chop and sizzle her way to victory.
Earlier in the week, some viewers were also convinced that they’d spotted a clue she would become the winner, after publishing giant HarperCollins announced Dawn is releasing a food-related book.
The presenter and writer had been consistently impressive through finals week – which began with the Final Five: Jamie Lomas, Alfie Boe, Alun Wyn Jones, Ginger Johnson and Dawn.
This week, soap actor Jamie was the first to fall on his carving knife – after he failed to deliver much actual cooking.
Next to leave was Alfie Boe, possibly the most nervous contestant to ever take part on the show.
So this left Dawn, presenter Alun Wyn and drag artist Ginger to draw forks in the final episode.
And while bookies and many viewers were fancying Dawn – whose husband is Hollywood actor Chris O’Dowd – as the Celebrity MasterChef 2025 winner, the culinary gods had other plans…
So who won Celebrity MasterChef 2025?
Ginger Johnson has become Celebrity MasterChef Champion 2025, becoming the 20th ever winner.
The drag artist revealed her shock, admitting: “I cannot believe this, I really thought I was going to come here and have a laugh. I can’t believe this is the end result of the competition.
“It’s absolutely crazy! I can’t wait to tell my mum and dad. I’ve actually learned real life skill!”
Host-judge Grace Dent said of Ginger: “Throughout this entire competition Ginger has delivered these intriguing, inventive, exciting, imaginative, difficult feats. What’s she’s done is something really impressive.”
John Torode added: “With all the presentation, all the fun, the laughs, her food tastes delicious and she’s an extraordinary cook. For me, that’s why she is our champion.”
This win was all the more impressive as Ginger had fallen ill during the semi-finals of Celebrity MasterChef.
Ginger Johnson’s winning Celebrity MasterChef final menu
Talking about her menu ahead of the cook, Ginger said: “This is showtime for me. The dinner table is a stage today and I’m going to try and make the most fun, exciting, humorous food that I can. I’m cooking the ultimate, contemporary 1970s dinner party. Surprise, surprise, I love the art, the fashion, the music and the culture.”
Ginger wowed with all three courses. Firstly, a starter of Bloody Mary prawn cocktail – prawns in a tomato, chilli and vodka sauce, with diced cucumber and Worcestershire jelly cubes, garnished with roasted prawn heads, lettuce, celery and an olive, with celery-salted crisps and a mayonnaise. John Torode declared it “show-stopping, absolute brilliance”.
Ginger’s main was her take on Duck à l’Orange – a duck leg and vegetable pie with an orange and red wine gravy, served with smoked garlic Hasselback potatoes, purple carrot and charred baby Romanesco and kale.
Her closing act – dessert – was Flaming Baked Alaska: Swiss meringue covering a sponge base, caramelised pineapple ring, glacé cherry and a vanilla and cherry ice cream, all soaked and covered in rum.
Read more: Ginger Johnson out of drag is the spit of Dermot O’Leary
Who are all the previous Celebrity MasterChef winners?
Ginger Johnson joins the Celebrity MasterChef hall of champions alongside previous winners Vito Coppola, Wynne Evans, Lisa Snowdon, Kadeena Cox MBE, Riyadh Khalaf, Greg Rutherford, John Partridge, Angellica Bell, Alexis Conran, Kimberly Wyatt, Sophie Thompson, Ade Edmondson, Emma Kennedy, Phil Vickery, Lisa Faulkner, Jayne Middlemiss, Liz McClarnon, Nadia Sawalha and Matt Dawson.
The Celebrity MasterChef 2025 Final is available to watch on BBC iPlayer now.
