MasterChef: The Professionals is heading back to BBC One for Series 19, with Marcus Wareing and Monica Galetti returning to judge another group of professional chefs from across the UK. The new series will run for seven weeks and feature 24 chefs competing for the MasterChef: The Professionals trophy. As always, they will be tested across a mix of challenges designed to show their technique, creativity, knowledge and ability to perform under pressure, with the competition eventually narrowing down to this year’s finalists.

When Does MasterChef: The Professionals 2026 Start?

Series 19 begins on Tuesday 3 November at 8pm on BBC One, with the second episode following on Wednesday 4 November at 9pm and the third airing on Thursday 5 November at 8pm. Episodes will continue three times a week across the seven-week run, with 21 episodes in total.

The BBC has also confirmed that each week’s three episodes will be available on BBC iPlayer every Monday, giving viewers the option to watch ahead rather than waiting for the BBC One broadcasts. The series will then reach its grand final on Friday 18 December at 8pm.

Marcus Wareing and Monica Galetti Are Back

Marcus Wareing and Monica Galetti return as the judging duo for Series 19, following a previous series that saw Matt Tebbutt join the line-up alongside them. Tebbutt confirmed earlier this year that he would not be returning, explaining that he had only ever planned to do one series.

Who Is Taking Part in MasterChef: The Professionals Series 19?

The BBC has now confirmed the full line-up of chefs taking part this year, with contestants coming from restaurant kitchens, private chef work, catering, teaching and their own food businesses.

The Series 19 line-up is Abigail Smith, Aleandro Brown, Alfred Petty, Andrea Ruszel, Ben Black, Clara Lim, Connor Wilson, Dan Nunn, Dominique Ogunlowo, Filomena D’Uva, Gregory Schaad-Jackson, Ibraheem “Ibz” Umar, Inayya Hamid, Isabel Almeida Da Silva, Jacintha Henderson, Jack Sencherey-Evans, Jemma Harrison, Jim Foster-Grundy, Kieran Jones, Manuel Ribeiro, Matty Grove, Morteza Nouri, Ruchi Mehrotra and Sebastian Brooks.

There is a Scottish connection in the line-up too, with Jacintha Henderson, a lecturer at City of Glasgow College and freelance chef, among those competing. Kieran Jones is also based at Sunlaws Restaurant at Schloss Roxburghe Hotel, adding another Scottish link to this year’s competition.

For CultureCues, MasterChef: The Professionals is always one we enjoy because the standard of cooking gets high very quickly and the competition usually becomes intense once the chefs settle in. We’re also glad to see Marcus and Monica back together, and with 24 chefs from such different backgrounds, there should be plenty to get stuck into this year. We’ll definitely be watching in November, and we’re ready to see who can handle the heat in the kitchen.

MasterChef: The Professionals returns on Tuesday 3 November at 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

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