Published: 16:59 BST, 30 August 2026 | Updated: 17:03 BST, 30 August 2026
As the tough-talking judge on BBC's MasterChef, John Torode wasn't ever one to mince his words.
The Alpha-Aussie made a quivering souffle of the home cooks, amateur chefs and even celebrities who stood before him hoping for a crumb of praise.
So no wonder – after he was unceremoniously sacked after 20 years on the show – fans are both surprised and delighted to discover 'another' Torode.
Ever since launching a YouTube show with his wife, Lisa Faulkner, Torode, 61, is revelling in his much softer – almost cuddly – side.
From the comfort of their beautiful kitchen, at the heart of their terraced home in the enviable London enclave of Muswell Hill, Torode and Lisa, 54, laugh, tease and mock each other while whipping up mouthwatering dishes.
'John and Lisa are basically the Richard and Judy of TV chefs and they are proving to be a huge success. Who needs the BBC now?' says my well-placed source.
Just like Richard, Torode often looks clueless as quick-witted Lisa makes a cheeky comment.
John Torode and his wife Lisa Faulkner show off a dessert on their YouTube cooking show
Torode and Ms Faulkner with his MasterChef colleague Gregg Wallace, who was sacked from the show following allegations of misconduct
Ms Faulkner met Torode in 2010 while competing on Celebrity MasterChef, which she went on to win
Swapping the clinical MasterChef kitchen for their more homely one has also been a hit, with viewers loving their wooden central island, customised 'John & Lisa' chopping board and pale green saucepans from their own J&L cookware range with high street chain ProChef.
Explaining their concept on the first video, Lisa cuddled their schnoodle dog as she enthused: 'We're cooking all our recipes from home in our kitchen which is great because we know where everything is, and we really hope you're going to join us to see our family favourites.'
Since the soft launch of John and Lisa's Kitchen & Home eight months ago, they have accumulated more than 1.2million views as fans have tuned in to watch them make 'the perfect pavlova' or Lisa's 'legendary' roast potatoes (made legendary by crumbling a stock cube into the fat first). Such a figure could earn them thousands, which – along with advertising revenue, side hustles such as their cookware range and a forthcoming book – means Torode will be making more than he did from MasterChef. A source said: 'There's more than one way to skin a cat when it comes to earning cash as a telly chef.'
Those familiar with the project say it is the 'ultimate sod you' to the BBC. The broadcaster sacked Torode as host of MasterChef in July last year after an allegation was made that he had used the 'N' word at a filming wrap party in 2019 while singing along to Gold Digger by rap star Kanye West.
