CBBC Commissions Children’s Cooking Competition

LONDON: CBBC has commissioned a junior version of the hit BBC amateur cooking competition MasterChef to air in 2010.

Junior MasterChef will challenge children to cook a two-course meal in just one hour. The 13-part series will have eight heats, two quarter-finals, two semi-finals and final cook off with the remaining three children. The competitors will be between the ages of 9 and 12. The series is being made for CBBC by Shine Television and is executive produced by Karen Ross. The CBBC executive producer is Bridget Banton. Junior MasterChef will be broadcast in winter 2009/10. 

Richard Deverell, the controller of BBC Children’s, said: "It’s wonderful to announce this new series following the success of the special ‘Children in Need’ episode [of MasterChef]. We hope to inspire children round the country to get cooking in what promises to be an aspirational, fun and enjoyable cooking competition."