MasterChef competitor Jasmeet Dial - who made the semi-finals of the popular television show this week - has admitted that his appearance almost did not happen.

Langley dad Jasmeet, 37, has been trying out recipes and cuisines on his family and friends for years and was persuaded by his wife Kamaldeep to try for the show.

But after 'auditioning' to take part the offer to appear came last August at a potentially difficult time - the same month as he started as senior designer at medical and healthcare communications. company Synergy Energy.

He said: "When I got the call from MasterChef I was unsure if I should accept the offer as I knew the commitment would be intense and having just started a new job I did not want to let my colleagues down."

But Synergy's managing director Eileen Gallagher said: "We encouraged him to use our four day week to create flexibility to keep on top of his work and have time for whatever MasterChef had in store for him."

The many challenges he did face on the show included making desert for 120 sailors and officers on board the HMS Diamond destroyer in Portsmouth, as they celebrated the annual Trafalgar dinner.

He is passionate about Indian food and impressed the show's superchef judges Greg Wallace and John Torode early on with his three different aubergine dishes - leading to him making it to the hit TV show’s semi-final Knockout week which has kept viewers engrossed all this week, before he was eliminated in the semi-finals.

Filming had long since finished when the lockdown came and Jasmeet has watched the show at home with Kamaldeep and daughters Pryana, seven and Jasryn, two.

He is grateful for his company bosses' four day week policy and thinks it could send to message to other businesses, as the current lockdown introduces Britain to a new way of working.