S17E1 - Episode 1
In the first heat, five amateur cooks compete for two quarter-final places. This year's competition features a new round in which each cook must showcase their favourite ingredient.
March 1, 2021, midnight
S17E2 - Episode 2
Five amateur cooks compete in the second heat. To win a quarter-final place, they must impress judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace along with former champions Saliha Mahmood Ahmed and Kenny Tutt.
March 3, 2021, midnight
S17E3 - Episode 3
The four winners from the first week of heats return to compete in the first quarter-final. They are challenged by food critic Grace Dent to prepare a great British pudding.
March 4, 2021, midnight
S17E4 - Episode 4
Five more amateur cooks compete for places in the quarter-finals. In the first heat of the second week, they cook for former champions Irini Tzortzoglou and Jane Devonshire.
March 8, 2021, midnight
S17E5 - Episode 5
In the second heat of the second week, five more amateur cooks compete for places in the quarter-finals.
March 10, 2021, midnight
S17E6 - Episode 6
The week's four heat winners return for the quarter-final, chasing a place in knockout week. They face a Critic's Test set by one of the country’s toughest food critics, William Sitwell.
March 11, 2021, midnight
S17E7 - Episode 7
Five more amateur cooks compete for places in the quarter-finals. In the first heat of the second week, they cook for former champions Shelina Permalloo and Mat Follas.
March 15, 2021, midnight
S17E8 - Episode 8
Five more amateur cooks compete for places in the quarter-finals. In the second heat of the second week, they cook for former champion Steven Wallis and 2006 finalist Dean Edwards.
March 17, 2021, midnight
S17E9 - Episode 9
It’s the third quarter-final and the four talented heat winners return to fight for a place in the semi-final.
March 18, 2021, midnight
S17E10 - Episode 10
In the last week of heats, five more hopefuls try to impress judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace.
March 22, 2021, midnight
S17E11 - Episode 11
In the last of this year's heats, five contestants cook for judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace and two previous MasterChef champions.
March 24, 2021, midnight
S17E12 - Episode 12
In the last of this year's quarter-final, four talented heat winners return to fight for a semi-final place in the Critic's Test. The challenge is to cook a dish inspired by global street food, and it will be judged by one of the country's toughest food critics, Grace Dent.
March 25, 2021, midnight
S17E13 - Episode 13
Just 10 chef's remain. Split into two groups of five, they now face the pressure of cooking in a professional kitchen for the first time.
March 29, 2021, midnight
S17E14 - Episode 14
The second group of five semi-finalists experience the pressure of a professional kitchen for the first time.
April 1, 2021, midnight
S17E15 - Episode 15
It's the last challenge of the semi-finals, and the six remaining amateurs must cook-off in front of three esteemed food critics to win a coveted place in the finals.
April 2, 2021, midnight
S17E16 - Episode 16
For the first challenge of finals week, the five finalists cook a five-course lunch at the resplendent Plaisterers Hall in the City of London.
April 5, 2021, midnight
S17E17 - Episode 17
The final four amateur cooks interpret a classic dish of their choice before the best three face a Chef's Table challenge at Michel Roux Jr's acclaimed restaurant Le Gavroche.
April 8, 2021, midnight
S17E18 - Episode 18
The final three chefs must produce the best three dishes of their lives to stand a chance of being crowned MasterChef champion 2021.
April 14, 2021, midnight