MasterChef: The Professionals: Dramatic moment Cristina Maia is forced to quit challenge on medical grounds as blender EXPLODES covering her in boiling soup

• Meet the MasterChef The Professionals 2023 contestants 

MasterChef: The Professionals saw a very dramatic moment on Tuesday night’s episode as one contestant had to leave one of the challenges on medical grounds after a nasty accident.

Brazilian chef Cristina Maia, 51, was left needing to see a doctor and pulled out of the Signature Menu round when her blender exploded covering her in boiling hot bisque.

Judge Gregg Wallace explained the nasty accident happened after she put the hot liquid into a blender and when she released the lid it shot out everywhere.

After the explosion she was covered in the orange liquid while the floor was splattered with mess.

As soon as the accident happened one of the medical crew on set dashed over to assist her as he held a cold towel to her chin where most of the damage was.

Ouch: MasterChef: The Professionals saw a very dramatic moment on Tuesday’s episode as one contestant had to leave one of the challenges on medical grounds after a nasty accident

Accident: Brazilian chef Cristina Maia, 51, was left needing to see a doctor and pulled out of the Signature Menu round when her blender exploded covering her in boiling hot bisque

Misjudged: Judge Gregg Wallace explained the accident happened after she put the hot liquid into a blender and when she released the lid it shot out everywhere (seen after with bandages)

Gregg could be heard screaming ‘woah’ as she apologised before he reassured her.  

Later in the show the judges Gregg, Monica Galetti and Marcus Wareing discussed how it was a shame she couldn’t carry on as Gregg quipped: ‘Accidents happen!’

A snap then flashed up on the screen of Cristina at the hospital with a bandage over her chin as she bravely smiled. 

Head chef Cristina grew up in Recife in North-Eastern Brazil. In Brazil, she worked as an accountant, but 20 years ago, she made the move over to the UK and retrained as a chef. 

Tuesday night saw the second heat get underway as Cristina was joined by chefs Rosie, 34, Tommy, 27, and Charlie, 22. 

After the Skills Challenge and Signature Menu round the judges chose to send all three chefs through to the quarter finals after they all impressed.

Two would normally have been sent home from the group of four at this stage in the competition.

On the episode, first, they has to control their every move in the daunting Skills Test before serving up two dishes of their own design in the Signature Menu round. 

Scary: After the explosion she was covered in the orange liquid while the floor was splattered with mess

Help: As soon as the accident happened one of the medical crew on set dashed over to assist her as he held a cold towel to her chin where most of the damage was

Supporting her: Gregg could be heard screaming ‘woah’ as she apologised before he reassured her

The first two chefs Rosie and Tommy faced a Skills Test set by Marcus, who asked them to prepare and cook spiced monkfish and serve it with polenta and a chilli butter sauce. 

The last two chefs Cristina and Charlie had 20 minutes to complete Monica’s task, a test of their pastry skills with a twist on a banana sundae. 

They had to include caramelised bananas, a coconut cream, a chocolate sauce and a quick banana ice cream. 

The four chefs then had a final chance to impress in the Signature Menu round, in which they had one hour and 30 minutes to serve up a sublime main course and dessert of their own choosing.

It comes after judge Monica revealed the reason for her return to show as the new series kicked off on Monday night.

The chef, 46, announced her decision to leave her role as a judge on the BBC show last year to focus on her family after her then 15-year-old nephew was diagnosed with cancer.

But now she is back and has explained on the The Mid-Point podcast what led her to returning to the popular cooking series.

She said: ‘I saw a therapist. I’ve never done that before.

‘I’ve never had so many things happening at the same time, I needed to reach out to outside help — someone just to talk to with everything. That was one of the best things I did.’

‘I feel more energetic, more excited to be back in it this year having had that time out.’ 

The chef announced last April that she was leaving MasterChef Professionals after 14 years because she felt like ‘she needed to be split into four people’ to cope with the demands of raising her daughter and running her restaurant. 

Speaking to The Times, Monica explained that part of the reason was due to having to juggle the workload with the running of her restaurant Mere, which is struggling from staff shortages.

Yet she revealed that her biggest motive behind quitting MasterChef was to spend time with her family after her nephew, Otis, was diagnosed with desmoplastic small round cell tumour – a rare and aggressive cancer that causes masses in the abdomen.

Otis lives in New Zealand, but Monica said they are very close as he is close in age to her daughter Anaïs, 14, who she shares with husband David.

Otis underwent chemotherapy, but Monica said at the time: ‘We’re told it’s not a cure. It’s just buying us time’.

In a statement Monica said she was taking a step back from the TV role to focus on her family and her London restaurant.

Monica said in her statement: ‘It is with a heavy heart that I’ve made this decision to step back from filming this year’s series of MasterChef: The Professionals.

‘My family need me, my restaurant needs me and trying to balance long filming days over the next three months with all these commitments meant that something had to give.

‘So, for the moment, my focus has to be 100% about my loved ones and rebuilding my kitchen team who have had a battering over the last few months especially. Those in the hospitality industry know just how tough it is at the moment.

‘To my MasterChef family, crew and friends, I’m so sorry that I won’t be with you this year but I hope to be back soon.’

She continued: ‘Thank you to both BBC and Shine TV for being so understanding of my decision but for this year I’ll be your number one supporter from the side lines. 

‘To my fellow judges and friends Marcus and Gregg – I’ll be watching – you’ve got this! If you’re ever unsure just think – what would Mon do?! See you soon!’

Care: Later in the show the judges Gregg, Monica Galetti and Marcus Wareing discussed how it was a shame she couldn’t carry on as Gregg quipped: ‘Accidents happen!’

Back: It comes after judge Monica revealed the reason for her return to show as the new series kicked off on Monday night

Difficult: The chef, 46, announced her decision to leave her role as a judge on the BBC show last year to focus on her family after her then 15-year-old nephew was diagnosed with cancer

The star delighted fans earlier this year by saying she’d soon return to MasterChef: The Professionals.

She posted: ‘A year ago I made the tough call to take a break from MasterChef The Professionals,’ she said via Instagram. 

‘I’m so grateful for everyone’s support that allowed me time out to get back on top of managing business and family commitments. 

‘I’m delighted to say that I am able to come back to MasterChef: The Professionals this year and I’m super thrilled to see what new talent is out there & to be back with my buddies @greggawallace and @marcuswareing.’

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