The Celebrity MasterChef Semi Finals will start on Monday on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, with the contestants embarking on a medieval cooking challenge in Coventry’s 12th century Coombe Abbey Hotel.

The historic venue has hosted Medieval banquets since 1971, immersing guests in the year 1539, when the tranquillity of the Abbey was shattered by the Dissolution of the Monasteries.

The celebrities must prepare a feast for 80 medieval enthusiasts at the former Cistercian monastery.

Working in teams, they have three hours to create a lavish spread featuring meat, fish and vegetarian mains, plus a dessert, using traditional ingredients such as venison, pork, trout, cod, root vegetables, pearl barley and dark ales. Judges Grace Dent and John Torode will taste the dishes, with John keeping the busy kitchen running smoothly.

The episode will air on BBC One at 9pm on Monday 8 December and will be available the same day on BBC iPlayer.

Ron Terry, Group Operations Director at No Ordinary Hospitality, which operates Coombe Abbey Hotel, said: “It was great fun hosting Celebrity MasterChef at Coombe Abbey and even better that the episode shines a spotlight on one of our best loved dining traditions at the hotel.

“We’re excited for people who know and love Coombe to see it on one of the nation’s favourite shows and for new audiences to get a glimpse of the magic of the venue and our Medieval Banquets, which attract hundreds of visitors every year.”

Coombe Abbey run award-winning experiences throughout the year which feature a four-course Medieval-inspired meal, complete with mead cocktails on arrival and a full stage show, where a celebratory feast is thrown into chaos as royal forces storm the building to seize its treasures and banish the monks. 

Coombe Abbey dates back to 1150 when it was founded as a Cistercian monastery.

It would later become the home of royalty when Princess Elizabeth - daughter of James I - stayed at Coombe in the 17th century. One of the hotel’s Grand Feature bedchambers is named after the princess, who was also linked to the gunpowder plot of 1605 when conspirators planned to kidnap her and place her on the throne as a ‘puppet’ queen before they were foiled.

The property was acquired by the Craven family in 1622 and it remained in their hands for around 300 years, during which time the gardens were transformed by Capability Brown into the stunning grounds that remain today. It is celebrating 30 years since it was converted to a hotel in 1995.

The synopsis for the show reads:

The celebs head back to medieval England for their first task, before returning to the MasterChef kitchen for a truly tasty cook-off. 

To start, the intrepid stars head to rural Warwickshire, home to Coombe Abbey. Now a hotel, this former monastery is a 12th century masterpiece that has housed its fair share of medieval banquets, and it just so happens that today they will be preparing one for 80 hungry guests - all medieval enthusiasts who will be expecting a feast of epic proportions. 

Working in teams, the celebs will have three hours to prepare a sumptuous meal that includes a meat, fish and veg main, along with a dessert. Amongst the produce on offer are some medieval staples, including pork, venison, cod, dark ales, trout, root veg, pearl barley, as well as a selection of fruit that should lend themselves to some comforting creations.  

Judges Grace Dent and John Torode will be sampling the dishes on offer, and John will also be stepping in to ensure the kitchen runs like clockwork. Let’s hope the merry men and women in attendance today leave with smiles on their faces.

It’s then back to the MasterChef kitchen, for a second task, which would no doubt have also delighted the medieval folk. This time the judges would like each of them to make a pie - a pastry case filled with something truly delicious, served with garnish and a sauce. Will they go sweet or savoury, and how will their pie stand out from the crowd?

Two celebs who fail to pack a punch with their pie will lose their place in the competition, leaving a lucky seven to forge on in the Semi Finals.