Pop icon and I’m A Celebrity star revealed as new recruits for Celebrity MasterChef
Radio legend also set to enter the kitchen for new series
AS a charismatic member of beloved pop band Steps, it is not surprising that Ian ‘H’ Watkins has been a favourite of reality TV bookers over the years.
The 5,6,7,8 singer has Dancing On Ice, Celebrity Big Brother, Gogglebox and even his own fly-on-the-wall show on the CV — which helps demonstrate why he is nicknamed H for hyperactive.
But he will need to rein in that famous vigour for his new gig, as I can reveal he has joined the line-up for the BBC’s next series of Celebrity MasterChef.
H will clang pans alongside radio presenter Edith Bowman and Radio 1Xtra’s Snoochie Shy, who was also on I’m A Celebrity in 2021.
A TV source said: “Celebrity MasterChef is one of telly’s most prized gigs.
“Hardly anyone turns it down.
“It’s seen as a real achievement as well as being relatively easy to fit alongside busy schedules.
“As such, the BBC always attracts an impressive range of names from a broad spectrum of celebrity.
“This trio really demonstrates that there’s someone for all ages and backs up the BBC’s pledge of continually trying to reach the younger audiences.
“H is great fun and bosses are excited to see how his journey pans out, while Edith is such a safe pair of hands.
“Snoochie has great energy too and won new fans when she was in Gwrych Castle for I’m A Celeb.
“Everyone is excited for the new batch of celeb chefs.”
MasterChef and its star-spangled spin-off continue to attract big ratings for the Beeb.
More than four million tuned in to the previous celebrity series.
And MasterChef: The Professionals achieved more than two million viewers.
It seems as if the cookery series remains far off its use-by date.
BROOKSIDE’S been streamed 14.4million times since the soap’s back catalogue was bought by STV a year ago.
STV says it means the show, which ran on Channel 4 until 2003, is outranking Corrie and Emmerdale in Scotland and has proved a big hit in the Isle of Man.
STV is available on Sky and Now.
James in comedy regret
JAMES CORDEN has a surprising career regret – and it’s not the widely panned Cats film remake.
Instead, the comic rues the fact that his 2022 black comedy Mammals for Prime Video did not do better.
James told Jay Shetty’s On Purpose podcast: “With Cats. . . . I haven’t seen it but by all accounts, it’s not good and it didn’t do very well!
“But someone said to me, ‘Would I do it again’ and I said, ‘Yeah, I had a great time’.
“Mammals, though, I really hoped people would find that and they didn’t.
“It got reviewed well, it’s written by the best living playwright, Jez Butterworth.
“That’s the only thing that I go, ‘Oh, I wonder what we could’ve done differently’.”
Consider a cameo from Gavin & Stacey, perhaps?
FILMING for the final series of Netflix’s Karate Kid spin-off Cobra Kai has begun.
Original stars Ralph Macchio and William Zabka remain for series six of the saga, revealing it will air later this year.
They said: “We’re thrilled to be back in production.
“See you in the dojo.”
SAS Billy on crime crusade
NOT much gets past SAS: Who Dares Wins chief Billy Billingham – ask ex-celeb recruit Matt Hancock.
So criminals of Britain had best beware, as he will lead a 15-parter for the BBC looking at how police are using military and SAS tactics.
Billy will shadow the forces using covert intelligence, surveillance and disruption to target anti-social crime such as theft and fly-tipping for SAS: Catching The Criminals, which will air later this year.
Billy said: “It’s incredible to see that police forces and enforcement teams are now adapting SAS techniques to catch criminals.
“It’s been great to shadow and help them develop techniques to put criminals behind bars.”