The BBC's MasterChef has suffered a dramatic drop in audience numbers, with nearly one million fewer people watching the programme's latest series premiere. Wednesday evening's launch episode attracted 1.

MasterChef has returned to TV screens with the launch of a new series that was filmed before hosts Gregg Wallace and John Torode were sacked. The pair were both fired last month after a report into conduct on the cooking show upheld allegations against them.

Gregg Wallace and John Torode were both sacked last month after a report into conduct on the cooking show upheld allegations against them. The BBC decided to still show this year's amateur series - filmed before they were sacked - saying it was "the right thing to do" for the chefs who took part.

The BBC previously said airing the series was the 'right thing to do'.