Grace Dent will take over from Gregg Wallace as the host of next year’s series of Celebrity MasterChef.

The food critic and media personality will co-present and judge the show with John Torode, following the news that Gregg is taking time away from MasterChef while an investigation into complaints about his alleged past behaviour is carried out.

In a statement on Wednesday morning, Grace – who is already one of MasterChef’s regular critics – enthused: “I’ve been watching MasterChef since I was a girl sitting with my dad on the sofa. My whole family watches it. It’s all about uncovering and championing talent - and to have ended up in this position, is more than a dream to me.

“I’m so excited that I can’t eat, which is severely detrimental to a restaurant critic. I feel very lucky to be stepping in for the next Celebrity MasterChef.”

John added: “I have loved working with Grace on MasterChef over the years. She has been an excellent guest, an inspiring critic and also set some incredible challenges.

“Expertise is what MasterChef is all about, from the contestants to our wonderful production team, to us as judges.

“The love of food, the love of MasterChef, and that unquestionable expertise, makes Grace the perfect person to step in alongside me as judge for the forthcoming Celebrity MasterChef series.”

Gregg has previously refuted that his conduct on the set of MasterChef has ever been “sexually harassing” in nature, and recently sparked controversy when he referred to his accusers of being “middle-class women of a certain age”.

He later apologised for this, stating that he “wasn’t in a good head space” he made the comments.

In the wake of the allegations, the BBC made the decision to pull two celebrity specials of MasterChef from its Christmas schedules.