CELEBRITY MasterChef returns to our screens tonight on BBC One at 8pm.

The pots and pans have hardly had time to be washed and dried from the last series of MasterChef , but it's already time for a new series of the celebrity incarnation.

Once again, John Torode and Gregg Wallace will be putting a host of famous faces through their paces, and one of the show's executive producers, David Ambler, thinks this year's contestants are another strong bunch.

"We've got a fantastic line-up of willing celebrities ready to commence culinary battle," he says.

"John and Gregg really push the celebs to reach for the culinary heights and there's no shortage of entertainment and drama.

"Despite the blood, sweat and tears we see some of the best food we have seen in our 11 years of doing the show."

TOWIE star Amy Childs and Strictly Come Dancing pro Gleb Savchenko are among the celebs who will have their spatulas at the ready in a bid to impress John and Gregg over the next six weeks.

Fresh from his turn on The Jump is ex- EastEnders star Sid Owen, who will go up against fellow Walford resident Laila Morse.

Keeping up the pop star contingent is Blue singer Simon Webbe, who has already tested his nerves on I'm A Celebrity... , and former Sugababe Amelle Berrabah.

On the sporting front, former England rugby player Neil Back will also be attempting to whip up some impressive dishes, as will Olympic gold medal-winning boxer Audley Harrison.

Paralympian Liz Johnson will also compete in the kitchen along with priest and former pop star Richard Coles.

Other additions to the line-up include Shameless star Tina Malone, presenters Cherry Healy and Louise Minchin, and Antiques Roadshow star David Harper.

The first famous faces taking part tonight and beginning their quest to succeed 2015 champ Kimberly Wyatt are comedian Tommy Cannon, TV presenter and actress Donna Air, writer and presenter of The Real Hustle Alexis Conran, YouTube vlogger Marcus Butler and singer Sinitta.

Their opening Mystery Box challenge is to use ingredients including squid, lamb mince and chickpeas to create a single dish.

Then, the quintet are split up and dispatched to two different restaurants to cater for paying customers.

Finally, they get one last chance to impress John and Gregg with a two-course menu of their own design before one of them is sent home.

The 11th series will see the infamous Mass Catering Challenges being held at Arsenal Football Stadium, Battersea Power Station, Virgin Atlantic Training Centre and Olympic Athlete training facility Bisham Abbey.

Meanwhile, former winners and finalists will decide who goes through to the semi-finals which involve cooking dinner for the Chelsea Pensioners to celebrate the Queen's 90th birthday.

The final week features the dreaded Palate Test and the Critic's Test, and then in the final, the remaining trio will face the Chef's Tables led by Michelin-starred Atul Kochhar before cooking a meal for John and Gregg.