Lisa Faulker met husband John Torode when she was competing on Celebrity MasterChef, admitting she was ‘petrified’ of the star when they first encountered each other
10:49, 16 Jul 2025Updated 10:58, 16 Jul 2025
Lisa Faulkner is planning a ‘big celebration’ with John Torode(Image: ITV)
Lisa Faulkner is planning a “big celebration” with husband John Torode. The pair have been married for six years, having met when Lisa starred on MasterChef.
This Sunday saw them celebrate the return of their much-loved Weekend Kitchen on ITV. The show looks set to continue despite John having been “axed” by the BBC, with reports suggesting ITV have “no current changes to scheduling”.
In just a week’s time, the beleagured presenter will be celebrating his 60th birthday. It has led Lisa, 53, to plan something special for her husband’s personal milestone.
Speaking to TV Times, she said: “I’ve got some nice things planned. It’s a big birthday so friends and family are having a celebration for him – which he knows about.”
John says his big day will be celebrated with “a little fizz and joy”. Former Spooks star Lisa has previously admitted to having been “petrified” of John when they met.
John Torode and Lisa Faulkner met on MasterChef(Image: @lisafaulknercooks/Instagram)
The pair were both married to other people at the time. And after the show wrapped up, Lisa, who previously married to Chris Coghill, and John, who was with his first wife Jessica Thomas, insisted their relationship was platonic.
Their pair both split with their respective partners however and began a relationship in 2010. But Lisa says her initial impression of John was one of fear.
Last year, she told the Mail: “He was a judge on a show I loved and I was petrified of him. He was brilliant and gave us all tips so you didn’t want to let him down. All I could think was, ‘That sauce hasn’t worked’.”
John eventually won Lisa over with a love letter and their relationship blossomed. John supported Lisa last year when she claimed that axed MasterChef judge Gregg made “rude joke after rude joke” during her stint on the show in 2010.
Lisa was ‘petrified’ when she met John(Image: (Image: Getty))
An investigation into Gregg’s time on the show was launched after there were 83 complaints submitted about his behaviour. Commissioned by production company Banjay, and led by lawyers Lewis Silkin, it upheld 45 complaints.
It also upheld complaints against two other people working on the show. John came forward earlier this week and revealed he was found to have used racist language eight years ago.
The presenter however denied the allegation and says he has “no recollection of the alleged incident and does not believe that it happened”. BBC bosses however decided not to renew the Aussie presenter’s contract.
BBC director-general Tim Davie refused to repeat what John is alleged to have said. Speaking to reporters, he said: “I’m not going to give you the exact term, because I think, frankly it was a serious racist term, a serious racist term, which does not get to be acceptable in any way, shape or form.”
Gregg Wallace and John Torode worked together on MasterChef, but both of them have been let go from the show (Image: BBC/Shine TV)
In relation to MasterChef’s future, the BBC boss continued: “I absolutely think it does (have a future), I think a great programme that’s loved by audiences is much bigger than individuals. It absolutely can survive and prosper, but we’ve got to make sure we’re in the right place in terms of the culture of the show.”
Writing on Instagram, John said he hoped he would have been able to “have some say” in how he left the show. It came as he admitted being unsure of what he was alleged to have said.
He wrote: “Although I haven’t heard from anyone at the BBC or Banijay – I am seeing and reading that I’ve been “sacked” from MasterChef and I repeat that I have no recollection of what I’m accused of. The enquiry could not even state the date or year of when I am meant to have said something wrong.
“I’d hoped that I’d have some say in my exit from a show I’ve worked on since its relaunch in 2005, but events in last few days seem to have prevented that. Over the past few months, I have been considering my life and the shape of it now and in the future. Celebrity MasterChef, which I recently filmed with Grace Dent along with two fantastic Christmas specials will be my last.
“Personally, I have loved every minute working on MasterChef, but it’s time to pass the cutlery to someone else. For whoever takes over, love it as I have. I will watch fondly from afar as I now focus on the many other exciting projects that I have been working towards.”