MasterChef viewers were left stunned by guest judge William Sitwell during Friday night’s episode.
The latest instalment of the cooking show saw the six remaining contestants battle it out to get through to the next round, in a bid to be crowned the 2024 winner.
But viewers were left distracted by the food critic’s ‘childhood trauma’ comment, asking the contestants to ‘delve deep into their childhoods’, specifically around their unpleasant memories of school food.
Olivia, who had impressed the judges earlier in the week, revealed she went to a Catholic school.
She said: ‘They never ate meat on Fridays, they always have fish so it always used to be this breaded fish that was dry, soggy chips and cold mushy peas, so I thought I’d take that and make it into something I enjoy.’
MasterChef viewers were left in complete shock by guest judge William Sitwell (pictured right) during Friday nights episode
The British broadcaster asked the contestants to ‘delve deep into their childhoods’, specifically around their unpleasant memories of school food
When contestant Olivia revealed she went to Catholic school which only ate fish on a Friday, William asked how she would elevate her dish and ‘get rid of the trauma’
Asking how she would elevate the dish and ‘get rid of the trauma’ Olivia explained: ‘I’m doing a semolina crusted cod, with mint pea puree, fried potato skins with rosemary salt, hot tartar sauce.
William, clearly delighted with her choice of dish told the camera: ‘Olivia is very much on the brief, revisiting her childhood trauma of fish and chips and she’s going to elevate it with a semolina crust. I love the idea of having a bit of crunch.’
However some viewers were not impressed by his constant use of the word trauma and took to X to vent their frustration: ‘I don’t think my recaps can even parody this show anymore because they’ve just started saying things like this #MasterChefUK #MasterChef’
‘I love a bit of @masterchef but someone really should have told @williamsitwell to stop referring to bad school dinners as trauma!! #MasterchefUK #bitdramatic #notexactlywhattraumameans’
‘My school meal trauma was being served a different milk pudding every day of the week and not being allowed to leave any in the bowl. On top of the free daily bottle of milk (I was a pre-Milksnatcher kid) it was just too much! #MasterChefUK’
‘Struggling to understand what this pseudo-counselling exercise achieves. #masterchefuk’
‘#MasterChefUK Having Sitwell sneak up on me would’ve traumatised my childhood. Especially if he asked me what was in my lunchbox….’
Olivia had impressed the judges earlier in the week and was described as ‘young, eager and calm under pressure’
William was delighted with Olivia’s choice of turning a classic dish around and told the camera that she was ‘very much on the brief, revisiting her childhood trauma of fish and chips’
The six contestants ‘school dinners’ task was set at 90 minutes and would see three of them leave at the end of the show and three of them through to the next round
Viewers were left less than impressed by William’s constant use of the word trauma and took to X to vent their frustration
It comes as hosts John Torode and Gregg Wallace addressed quitting MasterChef as the show celebrates its 20th series.
The duo have been fronting the show since it’s 2005 relaunch, however it seems neither of them are ready to hang their judging boots up yet as they admitted they won’t be stepping away from the show any time soon.
Speaking to Bella magazine, John, 58, joked: ‘Who would we leave it to? Don’t be ridiculous. That’s too much responsibility for anybody – to take over from me and him, there’s no way in the world.
‘Where are you going to find two attractive people, one with hair, the other without, anywhere like that? There’s no way!’
Revealing what it would take to get him to depart the hit BBC show, he teased: ‘I think to get me out of place, they’re going to have to push me out the door or blend my food to get me to taste it. That’s when I’ll be leaving.’
As the 20th series kicked off on Easter Monday the two hosts appeared on the One Show where Gregg was asked by Alex Jones and Roman Kemp what his biggest highlight has been.
He replied when the show travelled to India to cook for the Maharajah.
MasterChef next airs on BBC1 at 9pm on Wednesday.