Junior MasterChef is a British

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 game show

Game show

A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...

 in which ten to twelve year olds must compete to be crowned Junior MasterChef. It began on BBC One

BBC One

BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...

 on 10 May 2010. it is a spin-off from the television series MasterChef. The show is presented by writer

Writer

A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....

 and actress Nadia Sawalha

Nadia Sawalha

Nadia Sawalha is an English actress and television presenter.Sawalha is perhaps best known for her role as Annie Palmer in the BBC soap opera EastEnders during the 1990s, although most of her television work is now as a presenter rather than an actress...

, who was previously a celebrity masterchef contestant and restaurant owner, and professional chef John Torode

John Torode

John Torode is an Australian-born British celebrity chef specialising in Australasian food. He runs Smiths of Smithfield and several other restaurants scattered throughout London's Smithfield market....

 who also presents MasterChef.

The series was commissioned by CBBC

CBBC

CBBC is one of two brand names used for the BBC's children's television strands. Between 1985 and 2002, CBBC was the name given to all the BBC's programmes on TV for children aged under 14...

 Controller Anne Gilchrist and produced by Shine Television

Shine Limited

Shine Limited is a British media production company with offices in London and Manchester....

.

Competition

There were over two thousand applicants for the first series of Junior MasterChef. Out of two thousand, only thirty one chefs were successful and made it through to the heats. From each heat, one chef was chosen for the quarter- final and then from the quarter- final group, two chefs proceeded to the semi-finals. The four chefs in the semi- final were 11-year-old Amber, 12-year-old Georgia, 12-year-old Hajra and 11-year-old George. In the first part of the semi-final, the chefs were asked to cook both the Doctor and his assistant from Doctor Who

Doctor Who

Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...

's favourite dishes. The task in the second part of the semi- final was to make food for the British

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 boy band, JLS based on their favourite dishes and also to cook food for three authors: Andy Stanton

Andy Stanton

Andy Stanton is an English children's writer. He lives in North London.-Books:He has written nine books in the 'Mr. Gum' series:*You're a Bad Man, Mr. Gum!*Mr. Gum and the Biscuit Billionaire*Mr Gum in 'The Hound of Lamonic Bibber...

, Dame Jacqueline Wilson and Charlie Higson

Charlie Higson

Charles Murray Higson , more commonly known as Charlie Higson - also Switch - is an English actor, comedian, author and former singer...

.

In the grand finale, the four chefs, who were the same as those from the semi- final, were asked to make their own three course meal for the presenters. They received very good comments from the judges. The eventual winner was 13-year-old Georgia Bradford from Leigh-on-Sea

Leigh-on-Sea

Leigh-on-Sea , sometimes called Leigh, is a civil parish in Essex, England. It is part of Southend-on-Sea for administrative purposes. It became a civil parish in 1996. The council tax was increased to support it. A town council was formed. Leigh is the only parish in Southend...

.

International adaptations

: Junior MasterChef Australia

Junior MasterChef Australia

Junior MasterChef Australia is an Australian competitive cooking game show. It is a spin-off of MasterChef Australia, itself an adaptation of the British show MasterChef, and features contestants aged 8 to 12. The first season of the show began production in July 2010 and included 50 contestants...

: Junior MasterChef Pinoy Edition

Junior MasterChef Pinoy Edition

Junior MasterChef Pinoy Edition is a Philippine competitive cooking game show adapted out of the Australian spin-off show Junior MasterChef, in turn was based on MasterChef, featuring Filipino contestants aged 8 to 12. It is currently broadcast on ABS-CBN starting with a pre-series primer in August...

: Junior MasterChef Greece

Junior MasterChef Greece

Junior MasterChef Greece is a Greek competitive cooking game show. It is an adaptation of the Australian show Junior MasterChef Australia. It is a spin-off of MasterChef Greece, itself an adaptation of the British show MasterChef, and features contestants aged 8 to 12. The first season of the show...

 (premieres in fall 2011): Junior MasterChef the Netherlands (starts on 28th of november 2011 on NET5)

External links