Entertainer Dave Benson Phillips reveals the secret he kept from BBC Celebrity MasterChef judges

When the show launches this summer, it will not be the first time Dave has cooked on television, as he appeared on Channel 4's Celebrity Come Dine with Me a few years ago.

But cooking for Greg Wallace and John Torode was a whole different level, said Dave, admitting it scared him more than meeting the royal family.

Dave showcased his roast chicken with Jamaican herbs and spices on Celebrity Come Dine with Me and his wife Emma says his chicken is the one dish he can cook really well. Otherwise, she has had to help him develop his repertoire in the kitchen.

Sussex entertainer Dave Benson Phillips revealed among BBC One's sizzling new Celebrity MasterChef line-up for summer 2023

Dave said: "Mrs Phillips is the actual cook. Ever since losing on Celebrity Come Dine with Me, she has been getting me to do more cooking in the house and she stands over me, discussing things I have to do. She is determined to teach me more."

He does enjoy cooking, he says, and his chicken is a favourite of their 13-year-old son Benji. "I am The Colonel in this house," Dave quipped.

He admits it is often Benji who dictates what they are having for dinner as a family at home in Worthing, with traditional meat and veg, and pasta, being among his favourites.

Recalling his own childhood, Dave said: "I come from a very large family and we had no chance to be fussy or you would not get to eat."

As a young man, Dave worked as a kitchen porter, so he is well versed in food preparation but actual cooking and presentation are not his strong points.

He said: "Before I became famous, I worked in kitchens preparing all the ingredients for the chefs. I was washing the pots and the glasses, and every now and than I would do the food prep, all the fancy cutting. Beyond that is when it gets more interesting. From my own experience, it is bitter. People still talk about the dinner parties that went horribly wrong."

On Celebrity Masterchef 2023, Dave learned a lot and he is grateful, though he found it daunting.

He said: "We really did throw ourselves in from the get go. It was great fun because I have never cooked like that before."

But there is a secret he kept from the judges - and he thinks he got away with it!

Dave revealed: "I have a very diminished sense of smell but I didn't let on. They would be talking about the lovely smells and I'd be saying 'yes, yes'. It was fine. When it comes to taste, I can pick up everything."He did find the judging a little intimidating. "When I cook at home, I can say how is it, is it nice, but when you have these geezers on telly who know everything about food, it is a nightmare. They are scary.

"It was a great experience and I would love to do something similar again."