Hebburn 999 man Anthony hopes to be crowned Masterchef

The 26-year-old, who has worked for the last three years as a call operator in North East Ambulance Service’s Emergency Operations Centre in Hebburn, is set to make his debut on BBC One’s MasterChef at 8pm.

“They told me during filming that I seemed really calm but I explained that I’m used to this kind of pressure,” he said.

“As a call operator, you need to keep a level head no matter what is happening on the other end of the phone. Often people are ringing at one of the frightening times of their lives so it’s important to stay calm to help keep them calm and ensure I can arrange the help they need.”

Having reached the last 30 in last year’s Great British Bake Off, Anthony was approached to see whether he wanted to audition for the show.

“I was obviously disappointed not to get on the Bake Off but I guess getting as far as I did gave me that bit of extra confidence to think ‘why not?’,” he said.

“A few weeks later I was auditioning in Glasgow.

“It was pretty intense during filming, but I really enjoyed the experience and can’t wait for everyone to see how I got on – not being able to tell anyone has definitely been the hardest thing about it.”