CELEBRITY HEROES TAKE ON SUPERSTAR VILLAINS IN QUEST TO CONQUER THE KITCHEN IN "WORST COOKS IN AMERICA CELEBRITY EDITION: HEROES VS. VILLAINS"

Food Network Chefs Jeff Mauro and Antonia Lofaso Mentor Cooking-Challenged Stars in New Season Premiering Sunday, January 5th at 8pm ET/PT

NEW YORK - November 14, 2024 - Food Network kicks off the New Year with a brand-new roster of stars who shine everywhere but the kitchen in Worst Cooks in America Celebrity Edition: Heroes vs. Villains, premiering Sunday, January 5th at 8pm ET/PT. Returning mentor Chef Jeff Mauro welcomes newcomer Chef Antonia Lofaso to transform these culinary disasters into cooking masters with each leading their own team of meal-making misfits. This season's cast has survived the cutthroat world of reality television where they earned their reputations as heroes or villains, and now they will find out if they have what it takes to succeed in culinary boot camp. From a comic book themed Flavor City challenge to a royal food inspired Games of Scones, the challenges are as creative and outrageous as the competitors. After weekly eliminations, only the most-improved star left standing at the finale wins $25,000 for the charity of their choice and bragging rights for their team leader. Hero recruits are Sebastian Bach (singer Skid Row), Cheryl Burke (Dancing with the Stars), Frankie Grande (actor, dancer, Big Brother 16), Adam Rippon (Olympic figure skater, Stars on Mars) and Trinity the Tuck (RuPaul's Drag Race), and reality villains are Wes Bergmann (The Challenge), Bartise Bowden (Love Is Blind, Perfect Match), Corinne Olympios (The Bachelor), Tiffany "New York" Pollard (Flavor of Love, I Love New York) and Rachel Reilly (Big Brother, Amazing Race).

"This season's celebrity recruits all have reputations that precede them - and their larger-than-life personalities are front and center in the kitchen," said Betsy Ayala, Head of Content, Food, Warner Bros. Discovery. "Jeff and Antonia have their work cut out for them to mentor these stars, but the transformations are impressive and the laughs constant."

In the two-hour premiere episode, Jeff and Antonia begin their mission to transform infamous reality tv stars - some fan favorites and others notorious troublemakers - from cooking disasters to competent cooks. First, they need to assess the culinary carnage with a baseline challenge where the recruits whip up their go-to dinner party dish. After less than stellar results, guest Carson Kressley gives Jeff and Antonia their own challenge to determine who will lead Team Hero and who will lead Team Villain. Then in the main dish challenge, it's sink or swim as the recruits filet a whole fish and replicate an elegant seafood dish. Who will rise to conquer the kitchen, and who will fall into culinary chaos? Upcoming episodes feature a Reality Roast face-off inspired by iconic reality tv shows, an All-American breakfast challenge and the intergalactic food scavenger hunt May the Course Be With You. In the finale on Sunday, February 2nd at 9pm ET/PT, the two most-improved recruits must create a three-course restaurant quality meal for judges Gino D'Acampo, Judy Joo and Kelsey Barnard Clark. After a blind tasting, the judges determine who is awarded $25,000 for their charity and bragging rights for their team leader.

Fans can get to know the recruits and watch extended cuts of Jeff's and Antonia's boot camp demos on Food Network's social pages and follow along with the competition using #WorstCooks.

Worst Cooks in America is produced by Objective Media Group America, an All3 Media America company.

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