Celebrity MasterChef viewers fume as contestant sails through despite 'massive' mistake

Craig Doyle made a big mistake with his dessert. (BBC)

What did you miss?

Celebrity MasterChef viewers were unimpressed as Craig Doyle was saved despite covering his dessert in salt.

Thursday's instalment (19 September) of the BBC competition saw the final four tasked with cooking meals inspired by someone they loved. This Morning star Doyle whipped up a lemon tart in honour of his wife - but then proceeded to sprinkle it with salt instead of sugar by accident.

However, he made it through to the next round anyway, while Gladiators star Harry Aikines-Aryeetey was sent home. Viewers were miffed, calling it a "terrible" and "appalling" decision.

What, how and why?

The final four, including Strictly star Vito Coppola and actor Rochenda Sandall, were told they had to make a dish inspired by a loved one. Doyle chose the lemon tart for his wife Doon, which he covered with four mini meringues – one for each of his children.

However, as time was running out he struggled to caramelise the top of the tart, and realised it was because he had covered it in salt instead of sugar.

The TV star was disappointed in his lemon tart. (BBC screengrab)

Doyle fessed up before judges Gregg Wallace and John Torode tried it, telling them: "Before you tuck in we had an issue at the end… I couldn't understand why the sugar wasn't bruleeing and I put salt on it."

Torode replied: "I'm sad for you because you've assaulted your tart." But he said it was still a good-looking plate and that the pastry was "beautifully soft".

"This mirrors my life so much… I am the clumsiest, most forgetful person you will ever meet," Doyle groaned.

The judges then had to decide who was leaving the contest and opted to eliminate Aikines-Aryeetey, who had made a crumble.

Craig Doyle sprinkled his tart with salt not sugar. (BBC screengrab)

What did viewers say?

Their decision irked many viewers, with several saying that Doyle should have gone after his gaffe.

"WHAT ARE U TALKING ABOUT, HE PUT SALT ON THE LEMON TART," one said on X as the TV star was saved.

Another posted: "I'm sorry... but that's a bloody disgrace - so you can make a MASSIVE mistake and put salt over your food and not sugar but still get through. I feel so sorry for @HarryAA100m- he should've gone through. I'm disgusted with this appalling decision."

Harry Aikines-Aryeetey was sent home. (BBC)

"How can you put salt on a desert instead of sugar and not be eliminated from a cooking competition??" asked someone else.

"At this stage of the MasterChef competition, if you do such a silly thing as put salt on your dessert that should've been an elimination," said another viewer. "Harry's desserts were a bit mismatched but there was nothing wrong with them. He should've stayed."

Read more: Celebrity MasterChef

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