Warning: This article contains spoilers about the final episode of Celebrity MasterChef which some readers may prefer to avoid.
Riyadh Khalaf has been crowned the winner of this year's Celebrity MasterChef.
The 29-year-old Irish vlogger and presenter beat off competition from fellow finalists Sir Matthew Pinsent and Sam Quek to succeed Greg Rutherford as the reigning champ in the kitchen.
Earlier, in the second of the semi-finals, Gethin Jones was forced to retire through illness and Phil Daniels, Amar Latif and Judi Love were all eliminated to leave Pinsent, Khalaf and Quek as the three finalists.
As ever, the final challenge required the contestants to cook a three-course meal of their choosing for judges Gregg Wallace and John Torode in just two hours.
Former Team GB hockey player Quek opted for an Asian-themed menu, serving miso-coated scallops with soba noodles as her starter, followed by prawn three ways - prawn toast, deep fried aubergines stuffed with prawn and pork and prawn vermicelli - as her main, with a mango and passion fruit pavlova for dessert.
Four-time Olympic rowing champion Pinsent offered up a starter of ravioli featuring a chicken mousse with king oyster and button mushrooms, followed by venison loin with root vegetables, a pumpkin puree and a side of venison cottage pie, then a rhubarb and custard tart for dessert.
As for Khalaf, he started with beer-battered monkfish and scampi, presented a main of tenderloin fillet of beef with pan-fried king oyster mushrooms and a parmesan tuile with a shallot, port and balsamic sauce, then developed his own concoction for dessert - a white chocolate fondant with poached rhubarb.
After careful deliberation, Wallace and Torode named Khalaf as this year's champion, much to his amazement.
"I'm absolutely in shock, I can't believe it," he said. "My friends and family are going to pass out!
"This show I have been watching since I was in school, so to go from watching the show to being on it... winning this is without doubt the achievement of life."
Wallace explained: "Riyadh's always been flamboyant, he's always shown creativity and he's always been passionate. I think Riyadh came of age today."
Celebrities competing in the earlier rounds of this year's contest had included John Barnes, Judy Murray, Myles Stephenson and Baga Chipz.
Neil Wilkes
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