Gregg Wallace and John Torode were both sacked last month after a report into conduct on the cooking show upheld allegations against them. The BBC decided to still show this year's amateur series - filmed before they were sacked - saying it was "the right thing to do" for the chefs who took part.

The latest season of MasterChef, hosted by fired presenters John Torode and Gregg Wallace, has been dealt a huge viewership blow. The first three episodes of the pre-recorded season, which the BBC ultimately decided to air despite the misconduct scandal, are available to watch on iPlayer, and new episodes are airing on BBC One at 8pm.

The channel said it was "the right thing to do" for the chefs who took part, but British broadcast union Bectu has criticized the BBC for rewarding "bad behavior" with prime-time coverage.