Theo Loizou

Continuing Big Week, the contestants enter the MasterChef Kitchen and find it empty with a plinth at the top of the room.

In Round 1, the contestants have 45 minutes to prepare a dish that heroes fresh squid, with the bottom four dishes sending their makers into Round 2.

Having been hand selected by the judges, 17 brand new talented home cooks arrive at the MasterChef kitchen for the very first time.

There is a big twist to today’s Pressure Test, and that is there will be no recipe.

Today’s challenge centres around root vegetables, with parsnip, beetroot, sweet potato and turnip on offer to feature across a two-course meal, one savoury course and one sweet course.

It’s Pressure Test time and after plating up the bottom three dishes in yesterday’s surprise Mystery Box challenge, three chefs must now cook for their spot in the Top 8.