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It's week 3 of the heats, and the latest new home cooks are ready to bring their A-game to the kitchen. If the contestants reach the standards expected of them, they could claim a MasterChef apron – taking them through to the next stage to cook for some very special guests.

The amateurs include a radiographer, a lawyer and a teacher, who will each have to turn a humble ingredient from Basic to Brilliant. The picks include hazelnuts and a piece of cod, but whatever they choose must shine on a plate showing real potential. There are only two aprons up for grabs in this round, so everyone will need to put their best foot forward.

If their first dish falls short, there’s still another chance for the remaining cooks in an invention test with a difference – the Mystery Box. The contestants will be given three secret ingredients and must use at least one of them in their dish, along with any other larder items of their choice. The mystery ingredients are three different types of pastry: filo, shortcrust and puff. The contenders have 45 minutes to rustle up their spectacular creations, but those pipped to the pastry post will be sent home.

The hopefuls left standing will then battle for a quarter-final place. To get there, they must cook a delicious two-course menu for three discerning diners from 2022 – champion Eddie Scott and runners-up Pookie Tredell and Radha Kaushal-Bolland. These three know what it takes to reach the final, and nothing will escape their keen eyes. It will take some top-notch cooking to win them over.

With the guests’ feedback helping to determine which hopefuls are up to the challenge of a quarter-final, the successful contestants will take the next step towards becoming MasterChef Champion 2025.