Viewers were left baffled this week after one of the contestants on MasterChef: The Professionals was edited out of the programme.

At the start of Tuesday night's episode - another of the heats - a message appeared on screen explaining that the episode had been cut to remove one of the four contestants taking part.

All four of the original contestants are thought to have taken part in the full programme, with the missing contestant's skills test and signature dish omitted from the final edit and all group shots cropped accordingly.

A BBC spokesperson told the Daily Mail: "Due to unforeseen circumstances concerning one of our contestants, the programme tonight was edited to remove their appearance."

Unverified reports on social media allege that the anonymous male contestant in question swore at Wareing after receiving negative criticism during the skills test and also questioned the Michelin-starred chef's credentials.

MasterChef: The Professionals continues Tuesday at 9pm on BBC One.