A MASTERCHEF contestant from Prestatyn who made it to Knockout Week said judge John Torode heaped praise on her chocolate fondant stating it was "one of the best he'd had in over 10 years on the show" - but the comment was not shown on tv!
Linda Zouggari, a senior secretary in Glan Clwyd Hospital’s cardiology department, just missed out on a place in the semi-final and went out on the last day of 'Knockout Week'.
Reflecting on her time on the BBC One show, mum-of-five Linda said: "You have no idea... the pressure. The pressure was so intense. I worked full time as well when I did the show and I was only four months out of radiotherapy so I was a bit worried how I would do but it actually gave me such motivation.
"It does take over your life. You've got to be in the kitchen when you don't know anything, you have got to work to a time-scale, you've got to think of new recipes, you have got cameras filming you and people talking to you - I've never experienced anything like it in my life.
"You are running round like a maniac. I spent half the time laughing because I do that when I'm stressed! The more that you do it, the more you want to do well and you want to give John and Greg nice food. I can't imagine anything worse than given them a plate of food and them going 'yuk - I don't like that.'
"It is madness the pressure but a great madness. It is a experience of a lifetime."
Linda, who is an avid fan of MasterChef and of judges John and Greg, said being on the show has motivated her.
"I feel more confident," Linda said.
"I was in a place where ... well I had got told I had breast cancer and in one year, I had almost given up and now I have gone on something like this. It has made me appreciate and want to lead my life. You have only got one life so pack it with what you want to do."
Linda, who is married to husband Ouassim, said it was a dream come true meeting John and Greg.
Linda said: "They are my favourite, favourite personalities. I absolutely was over the moon to meet them, awe struck. They really are nice people and I really hit it off with Greg.
"The first time I met Greg, with my first plate of food, we just hit it off and had a bit of banter and it ended up being a laughter session. So everytime I saw him and he came to speak to me when I was cooking, we just started laughing and I have no idea what that was! But it was just so funny.
"John is so lovely and such a gentleman, knowledgable and he wants you to do well. He gives you loads of information to help you. Two lovely people."
Linda - who has lived some of her life in Turkey and is fond of trying all types of cuisine - said her favourite dish to cook was her chocolate fondant.
"Even though the invention test was like my worst nightmare, it ended up being the best dish I did," Linda said.
"The only thing I was a bit devastated about was that John said 'this is the best chocolate fondant that I have had in over 10 years of MasterChef' but they didn't actually put that on tele.
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"He did actually say that but they didn't show it. They pick and choose what they like to show, but that comment was especially for me."
Linda's daughter Kelly applied for the show on behalf of her mum and did all the application forms. Linda had just recovered from breast cancer and was heading towards her 60th birthday.
Catch up on all MasterChef episodes on BBC iPlayer.
On Thursday (June 1), after eight gruelling weeks of intense competition, the final three competed in one last cook-off for the 2023 MasterChef trophy.
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