Ed Balls is crowned winner of Celebrity Best Home Cook beating Tom Read Wilson and Rachel Johnson

ED Balls was crowned Celebrity Best Home Cook tonight beating Tom Read Wilson and Rachel Johnson.

The former politician, 53, dedicated his victory to his mum Carolyn, who has dementia.

Visibly moved, he said: “Tom and Rachel are both great cooks but I was thinking of my mum and her teaching me to cook all those years ago.

“She might recognise me on the TV now – she has dementia – but she will probably be watching and I would like to believe that she would be proud that the recipes that she taught her son are now not only popular in our family but actually winning a BBC show as well. That was a nice moment.”

And sharing his delight on Twitter, he posted: “I’m dedicating the trophy to all the Mums & Dads who do their best & have a go in the kitchen. I hope my Mum will be proud.”

Rachel was eliminated following Angela Hartnett’s challenge in which she and Tom had to make a croquembouche – a delicate French dessert comprising of choux pastry. 

It left Ed and Tom to go head to head in the final round. Mary Berry challenged them to each put together an “ultimate picnic” that contained sweet, meat, plant-based and fish elements.

Drawing on his childhood in Norfolk, Ed incorporated some of his mum’s recipes.

He said: “She taught me to cook when I was really young and then I have been cooking ever since.

“I go back all the time to her recipes, her lasagne, her shepherd’s pie, her gravy.

“As I have got older I have tried new things, different recipes from around the world, but the most special ones are the ones that my mum taught me.”

Humble in defeat, Tom said: “Truthfully this is the best possible outcome, I’m so proud of Ed. He’s a chum, he’s a culinary wizard.”