Britain's Best Home Cook — Season 1

In this first episode the cooks have 90 minutes to prepare their ultimate burger with at least two sides designed to showcase their individual personality. The second challenge tests the cooks' inventiveness and creativity with a key ingredient, and the cooks with the best burgers from challenge one get to determine the key ingredient choice for everyone. This time, the choice is between nuts and berries, and the cooks must invent a sweet or savoury dish celebrating the central ingredient. Based on their performance, the judges decide who is safely through to next week and who must cook again. At the end, one cook leaves the competition.

The cooks have an hour and three quarters to prepare their ultimate fish dish with delicious accompaniments designed to showcase their individual personality. The cooks embrace the pescatarian brief in a creative and innovative fashion, rustling up globally inspired dishes including a Filipino exploding fish, Asian-inspired gurnard with wontons, Indian spiced seabass with a prawn curry, as well as more classic salmon hollandaise, butter-poached halibut and a decadent seafood pasta.Next, it's the 'Cooks' Challenge' which tests inventiveness and creativity with a key ingredient. The cooks with the finest fish from challenge one are given the advantage by the judges and will determine the key ingredient in the next round for everyone. This time, the choice is between rice or squash, a conundrum for any confident cook especially as they have no prior knowledge of the other ingredients they'll have in their kitchens.The next morning the cooks return to their freshly stocked kitchens to invent a sweet or savoury dish in one hour celebrating the central ingredient. While there are some standout dishes, a few miss the mark with their creative interpretations.In the elimination round, the judges have chosen a tricky dessert that requires precision and any lack of concentration could lead to an early exit.

The search continues as Mary Berry, Dan Doherty and Chris Bavin, put the remaining eight home cooks through the culinary ringer. Hosted by Claudia Winkleman, the cooks move between their house with their fellow friends and the kitchen where they must compete in this week's challenges set by their three demanding judges. As usual, the cooks have to perform to their very best in the first two challenges if they are to avoid the elimination round and risk being sent home.

The cooks have to prepare their ultimate roast with a potato dish and at least two other vegetable accompaniments designed to showcase their personality. Civil servant Dipa tries out her unique spin on the traditional roast using spices, while Welsh mum of four Katie opts for an ox heart. Farmer Trevor cooks with one of his own reared flock, while maths teacher Philip makes yorkshire puds with rosemary.

It is then time for the cooks' challenge, which tests their inventiveness and creativity with a key ingredient. The cooks with the best chocolate from challenge one are given the advantage by the judges as they determine the key ingredient in the next round, choosing between aubergine and tofu. The cooks must then invent one dish celebrating the central ingredient and have one hour to win over the trio of judges and avoid the elimination round.

It is week six, and Mary Berry, Dan Doherty and Chris Bavin test the remaining five home cooks on their finest dishes. The cooks have two and a half hours to prepare their ultimate sharing feast, which must contain at least four dishes designed to showcase their individual personality. The cooks are up against it as they try to impress the judges with the complementary dishes that must come together as a complete meal.

It's the semi-final and Mary Berry, Dan Doherty and Chris Bavin continue to test the last four home cooks. The semi-finalists have two and a half hours to prepare their ultimate drinks party with a selection of four savoury canapes, one sweet canape and a drink designed to showcase their individual personality. Then it's the cooks' challenge which tests their inventiveness and creativity with a key ingredient. The cooks with the most perfect drinks parties from challenge one determine the key ingredient choice between orange or ginger. In the morning the cooks return, and in just one hour must win over the judges and avoid the elimination round. Based on their performance in these two challenges, the judges decide who deserves to be in the final and who must cook again. The judges have chosen a classic Italian dish that requires precision, care and skill. At the end one cook must part from the group, leaving just three finalists in contention for the title of Britain's best home cook.

It's the final and Mary Berry, Dan Doherty and Chris Bavin raise the bar for the last time for the three remaining cooks before one of them is crowned the winner. They will have to excel in all three challenges that count towards the final decision and determine the overall winner. First it's the recipe challenge when the cooks must follow the recipe to the letter. The judges have chosen a summer classic and picnic favourite that requires precision, care and skill. Next it's the cooks' challenge which tests the cooks' inventiveness and creativity with a key ingredient. This time the judges are not offering a choice but instead the finalists must make a dish that showcases chicken and mushrooms and create a dish in one hour. Then the cooks have three hours to prepare their ultimate main and pudding. They'll also have to set their tables and play the host with just Claudia as back-up when serving. The judges must then make their final decision and crown one of them the winner.