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Episode 1

Episode number: 1

Overview: In the first heat, five amateur cooks compete for two quarter-final places. This year's competition features a new round in which each cook must showcase their favourite ingredient.

Episode 2

Episode number: 2

Overview: Five amateur cooks compete in the second heat. To win a quarter-final place, they must impress judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace along with former champions Saliha Mahmood Ahmed and Kenny Tutt.

Episode 3

Episode number: 3

Overview: The four winners from the first week of heats return to compete in the first quarter-final. They are challenged by food critic Grace Dent to prepare a great British pudding.

Episode 4

Episode number: 4

Overview: Five more amateur cooks compete for places in the quarter-finals. In the first heat of the second week, they cook for former champions Irini Tzortzoglou and Jane Devonshire.

Episode 5

Episode number: 5

Overview: In the second heat of the second week, five more amateur cooks compete for places in the quarter-finals.

Episode 6

Episode number: 6

Overview: The week's four heat winners return for the quarter-final, chasing a place in knockout week. They face a Critic's Test set by one of the country’s toughest food critics, William Sitwell.

Episode 7

Episode number: 7

Overview: Five more amateur cooks compete for places in the quarter-finals. In the first heat of the second week, they cook for former champions Shelina Permalloo and Mat Follas.

Episode 8

Episode number: 8

Overview: Five more amateur cooks compete for places in the quarter-finals. In the second heat of the second week, they cook for former champion Steven Wallis and 2006 finalist Dean Edwards.

Episode 9

Episode number: 9

Overview: It’s the third quarter-final and the four talented heat winners return to fight for a place in the semi-final.

Episode 10

Episode number: 10

Overview: In the last week of heats, five more hopefuls try to impress judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace.

Episode 11

Episode number: 11

Overview: In the last of this year's heats, five contestants cook for judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace and two previous MasterChef champions.

Episode 12

Episode number: 12

Overview: In the last of this year's quarter-final, four talented heat winners return to fight for a semi-final place in the Critic's Test. The challenge is to cook a dish inspired by global street food, and it will be judged by one of the country's toughest food critics, Grace Dent.

Episode 13

Episode number: 13

Overview: Just 10 chef's remain. Split into two groups of five, they now face the pressure of cooking in a professional kitchen for the first time.

Episode 14

Episode number: 14

Overview: The second group of five semi-finalists experience the pressure of a professional kitchen for the first time.

Episode 15

Episode number: 15

Overview: It's the last challenge of the semi-finals, and the six remaining amateurs must cook-off in front of three esteemed food critics to win a coveted place in the finals.

Episode 16

Episode number: 16

Overview: For the first challenge of finals week, the five finalists cook a five-course lunch at the resplendent Plaisterers Hall in the City of London.

Episode 17

Episode number: 17

Overview: The final four amateur cooks interpret a classic dish of their choice before the best three face a Chef's Table challenge at Michel Roux Jr's acclaimed restaurant Le Gavroche.

Episode 18

Episode number: 18

Overview: The final three chefs must produce the best three dishes of their lives to stand a chance of being crowned MasterChef champion 2021.