Britain’s Best Home Cook 2020 starts TONIGHT on BBC One at 8pm – but what are the rules and who are the judges?

BRITAIN’S Best Home Cook, with TV icon and chef Mary Berry, kicks off on BBC One tonight with a brand new series for 2020.

After Dan Doherty stepped down as a judge, who will replace him? Here is what you need to know about the second season of the BBC contest.

How can I watch Britain’s Best Home Cook?

Season two of Britain’s Best Home Cook starts tonight (January 2) on BBC One at 8pm.

The second airs a week later on Thursday, January 9.

If you miss an episode, you'll be able to catch up an hour after the show has aired via BBC iPlayer.

The series is made up of eight episodes, with the contestants competing in a variety of challenges in an attempt to wow the judges.

The first series of the BBC cooking show wrapped up in June, 2018, with Pippa Middlehurst being crowned the champion.

How Britain's Best Home Cook work?

Claudia Winkleman hosts as Mary Berry, Angela Hartnett and Chris Bavin put ten of the nation’s best home cooks through their paces.

They will battle it out in a series of challenges to determine who will impress the judges the most.

Over eight episodes, ten home cooks will need to demonstrate their skill under pressure and individual flair, as they’re asked to serve the most perfect version of dishes that define modern home cooking as well as create their special take on well-loved classics.

There is also an elimination round, where the worst performing cooks make the same recipe which is then judged blind.

Who are the judges of Britain’s Best Home Cook?

Mary Berry, who previously fronted the hit baking contest The Great British Bake Off, is returning as a judge this season.

Her colleague and Eat Well for Less? presenter Chris Bavin is also reprising his role as a judge.

However, Dan Doherty will not star in series two, as he announced in January 2019 he was stepping down.

His decision to take a break from the show was made after The Sun reported he had been plagued by sexual harassment claims.

Angela Hartnett, who is a Michelin-starred chef, will replacement him on the judging panel for the second series.

Of her new role, she said: “I’m looking forward to joining the incredible Mary Berry and Chris Bavin to judge the next series of Britain’s Best Home Cook.

"For me, home cooking is about family sitting around a table eating together, laughing and talking, with delicious, tasty and unfussy food; it’s about the people as much as the food."

She added: "My mum always said, it’s good to be an all-round cook, everyone needs to be able to master the store cupboard!”

Why did Dan Doherty quit as a judge on Britain’s Best Home Cook?

The TV chef had reportedly been dropped from the show after sexual misconduct allegations were made against him.

Dan had allegedly been banned from his own Royal Oak gastropub for a mouth amid an investigation into claims he asked a female member of staff to perform a sex act on him.

Following the reports made by The Sun, the food author confirmed he would not be appearing in the new series.”

In a string of tweets on January 28, 2019, he said: “In the wake of the recent newspaper reports, I’ve decided to step away from series two of Britain’s Best Home Cook. 

"I loved my experience on the show and wish it every continued success."

He later added: “I want to say sorry. There are mistruths in what was published but I have made mistakes, mistakes I truly am sorry for.”

At the time, The Royal Oak, in London’s Marylebone, said Dan, a divorced father of one, was no longer working there.

Who is hosting Britain’s Best Home Cook?

Claudia Winkleman hosted the first series of Britain’s Best Home Cook and she is returning to the show in 2020.

The Strictly Come Dancing presenter got stuck in during the first season and was seen getting her hands dirty as she assisted the amateur chefs.

But she admitted to being nervous about working with Mary Berry.