Saffron Walden's Cliff Parisi is set to star in the next season of Celebrity MasterChef.
In a star-studded line-up, the Call the Midwife actor will cook for Gregg Wallace and John Torode in a bid to be crowned champion in the hit BBC TV series.
Parisi is up against 19 well-known contestants, including former World Boxing champion Chris Eubank, TV star Nancy Dell'Olio, Love Island's Faye Winter and Paul Chuckle.
Celebrity MasterChef 2021 was won by four-time Paralympic Games gold medallist Kadeena Cox.
The team behind MasterChef has promised "fierce competition" and comedy in this year's series.
Sarah Clay, BBC commissioning editor, said: "This line up will absolutely cement Celebrity MasterChef as one of the nation's most loved cookery programmes, with a lot of laughter alongside fierce competition guaranteed.
"The level of cooking is fantastic this year and you can really see how much it means to them all."
Katie Attwood, MasterChef series editor, said: "Celebrity MasterChef is a firm favourite in the television must-see calendar and this series is as funny, engaging and nail-biting as ever.
"John and Gregg are in for a treat, as are our viewers."
Challenges in this year's heat rounds will include "Under The Cloche" (under pressure), The Street Food Challenge and Dinner Party Dish.
The series is due to air in the summer.
MasterChef 2022 has already been fought on-screen, and was won by marine pilot Eddie Scott from Beverley, near Hull.
His winning menu featured turbot topped with caviar, tempura oyster and champagne beurre blanc, followed by a Hyderabadi dum biriyani and rounded off with a St Emilion au chocolat.
Contestants Pookie and Radha were runners up in this year's series.
Actor Cliff Parisi - who is originally from London - lived in Saffron Walden for several years before moving to a house in the countryside nearby.
In a Saffron Walden Reporter interview in December 2021, he said he feels like he belongs in Essex.
Parisi said: "There's a community spirit here.
"Everyone chips in by supporting one another, small shops and the town events.
"Just look at the Market Place - I would sit there and chat to the people walking past all day if I could!"
As well as Call the Midwife, Parisi has starred in EastEnders, A Bit of Fry and Laurie and Kavanagh QC, amongst others.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here