Celebrity MasterChef: Danielle Harold jokes about EastEnders
Danielle Harold, best known for her role as Lola Pearce in EastEnders, has spilled the beans on a little-known fact about the show's set while trying to win over Celebrity MasterChef judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace.
The 32-year-old actress appeared on the hit cooking competition's nineteenth season this Tuesday, August 20, 2024, where she cited her grandfather as her culinary inspiration.
In conversation with the culinary duo, Danielle revealed that her time learning from her grandfather trumped her experience at Walford Square's chippy, famously run by Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt), as she let slip that all the fish in the shop are actually fake.
Impressing the judges initially with a perfectly cooked plaice in butter accompanied by roasted (and slightly charred) asparagus, Danielle admitted, "My mum is the worst cook in history", but quickly added, "but my grandad is a great cook so I think that's where I found my love for cooking."
While whipping up her dish, Gregg quizzed her about her cooking chops during her time on EastEnders, prompting her to respond: "No, never. I did work in the fish and chips shop for a bit, with Ian Beale, but he didn't teach me to do any of this. It's all plastic fish in there", reports the Mirror.
Danielle joined the cast of the beloved soap in 2011 as the spirited hairstylist Lola Pearce, introduced when Billy Mitchell and Julie Perkins were searching for their son Dan, only to discover he had passed away, leaving behind daughter Lola.
Throughout her stint on the show, Lola's character grew increasingly popular with fans and went on to welcome Lexi Pearce after a brief encounter with Ben Mitchell. However, tragedy struck when she was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour in 2022.
Determined to make the best of every remaining moment, her loving family bumbled their way through preparations for her impending departure.
Days before her passing in late May 2023, Lola was bedridden, sporadically drifting in and out of consciousness. Her death was marked by the tender presence of her husband Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick) and daughter, Lexi.
Ever since her heartbreaking exit, Lola's memory has continued to be honoured in subsequent episodes. Sharing with the Daily Star about her departure, Danielle expressed anticipative excitement about her acting future.
She revealed: "I want to work on other things and play other characters. I can't wait to get out there and see what's possible. I'd love to do a drama, something with a beginning, middle and an end to the story. I want to do something completely different to soaps."
Another name to grace the second week of this year's BBC series is Love Island's Chloe Burrows. Regrettably, she was shown the door after her culinary skills fell short of John Torode and Gregg Wallace's expectations.
