'Celebrity MasterChef' final delayed as 'The One Show' Queen special takes its place

Celebrity MasterChef fans have been given the new date when they will find out which famous contestant will be named the 2022 champion after the final was postponed.

The BBC One cooking competition was set to air its three finals episodes this week, but the schedules have changed at short notice to replace Tuesday's instalment with an episode of The One Show paying tribute to the Queen.

Read more: EastEnders likens Queen's death to UK 'losing its nan'

Finals week was set to kick off at 9pm on BBC One, but now tonight's TV listings have moved the magazine show, which usually airs at 7pm, into the slot with a special episode called Our Queen Remembered.

Now, the grand final is set to air on Thursday, 22 September at 8.30pm on BBC One.

Celebrity MasterChef fans are also still waiting to find out which five contestants have actually made it into the final, as two of last week's three semi-finals episodes have still not aired.

Viewers saw Lesley Joseph sent home in the first semi-final challenge last Tuesday, but as the Queen passed away on Thursday the scheduled episode - which was due to include a Platinum Jubilee dish task - was cancelled, as was Friday's episode.

The two missing semi-finals episodes will air back-to-back on Thursday from 8.30pm, followed by the first two finals episodes on Friday at 9pm and Tuesday at 8pm, and then the champion will be named next Thursday.

Broadcasters have been announcing last minute cancellations and changes to their schedules since Thursday and they are expected to continue into next week, with the Queen's funeral due to take place on Monday, 19 September.

Read more: Don't leave marmalade sandwiches in tribute to Queen, mourners told

Still left in the competition are Cliff Parisi, Danny Jones, Melanie Blatt, Faye Winter, Jimmy Bullard, Lisa Snowdon and Kitty Scott-Claus, with five cooks set to make it into the finals.

The second finals week episode should have been airing this Thursday, with the winner originally due to be named on Friday.

It isn't the first time that MasterChef has been affected by a royal death - in 2021, the final of the main series of MasterChef had to be postponed as it was due to air on the same day that Prince Phillip died, Friday 9 April.

Viewers saw Tom Rhodes crowned the winner the following week, when the episode aired on the Wednesday instead.

Watch: The moment Ryan Thomas is eliminated from Celebrity MasterChef