Celebrity MasterChef returned to our screens recently, and in week three, one of the celebrities taking part is Amy Childs who I caught up with recently for a chat.
Best known for being on The Only Way Is Essex, Amy has carved out a successful career off the back of the show and we're about to find out what happened when she stepped out of her comfort zone and into the MasterChef kitchen. How will she cope and can she actually cook?
Is this the first time you've been asked to Celebrity MasterChef?
Yep, it's the first time I've been asked to do it. The thing about me is that I always have to choose the right show for me, and MasterChef was one of those shows where you think "Oh my god, what am I going to do?!" because I am a very basic cook.
I cook very basic food, I'm not the best cook, however what a great show for me to do. It's BBC One and I love being under pressure a little bit, it makes me do better things.
However, it really did stress me out, because I cannot cook.
You admitted that in It's All About Amy and Who's Doing The Dishes, have you improved at all in the kitchen?
Do you know what, when you live on your own, you start to try different foods and you start cooking don't you? You can't be going out to eat all the time.
I cook the best roast dinner. I can cook a leg of lamb, I can cook beef, pork... everything! When I knew I was going to go on MasterChef I thought, I'm going to really take this seriously.
I had the head chef from one of the best restaurants in Essex come to my house and teach me how to cook.
People might think "Oh, why's Amy Childs doing MasterChef?" but you know what, I want to shock people now. I want to take it seriously and when I put my mind on something, it happens. It will work.
What was it like when you first stepped into the MasterChef kitchen?
Stressful! Oh my god, it was stressful. Listen, I did The Jump and MasterChef I think is harder than The Jump, because it's so out of my comfort zone.
MasterChef is the hardest show ever, it really is. Everyone's under pressure and you've only got a certain amount of time. Gregg and John are there watching everything you do and you're thinking "Oh my god, am I doing it right?" I'm cooking food, but am I cooking it right?!"
Cooking in front of amazing chefs is stressful. Try and get Gregg and John to do a spray tan, they'll probably find it really hard. Sometimes I like being under pressure, but when you're trying to be a chef it's really hard, because I'm not. I can only cook basic food.
I took it really seriously and you know what, I enjoyed it. I've learnt so many things now that I didn't know before.
What's the biggest thing you learnt?
Well I went to a restaurant, and I had to cook rabbit for thirty people. I had to make my own pastry, and pastry is one of the hardest things to do.
So I'd make the pastry, put the rabbit in there and before I knew it, I'd cooked something. As I've said to you before, once I put my mind to it, I will do it.
If this is something I have to do, I will do it. It was a great show to do, I'm so glad that I was a part of Celebrity MasterChef. It's a great line -up and I've met some very amazing people.
Who's in your heat?
Sid Owen, Louise from BBC Breakfast, Tina Malone and Liz Johnson, the Paralympian. She was lovely, and we all got on really well.
We were all under pressure together, and even the ones who were really good cooks were still stressing out. It was amazing, me and Louise from BBC Breakfast had to work at a restaurant. I had to do the starter and she had to do the main course!
How amazing to tell my mum and dad "I've been on MasterChef". Now I feel as if I can do anything because I've been on MasterChef!
Did you see any of them as competition?
Do you know what, they're a bit older than me. Remember, I'm still young, they're a bit older. They've got children, Sid used to own a restaurant in Spain so they've had much more of a head start than me. But the stress of the competition means that we're all at the same level.
You're mates with Rylan, who did really well last year on Celebrity MasterChef. Did you ask him for any advice?
I haven't spoken to Rylan about it. I remember him saying to me, that he only used to cook little things, like me, basic food. But now he's an amazing cook! That's why I did it. I thought, if Rylan can do it, I'm going to definitely do it.
But no, I haven't spoken to him, because he's been so busy and I've been all over the place, but when I do talk to him we'll have a good chat about everything.
What's next for you then?
With me and TV, it has to be the right thing. I think that's why MasterChef was great for me, it took me totally out of my comfort zone. I've done The Jump, I did Big Brother and in the next couple of years, I'm not the best dancer but I'd love to do Strictly.
Hopefully next year, but I'm so busy. I've got the online shop, I've got the Amy Childs Boutique and the salon so all my time is dedicated to that.
I never stop ever! (Laughs) I work seven days a week, but you know what? I'm so passionate about the salon, I work with all the clients, I absolutely love it. And if you enjoy it, that's the main thing.
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