Ian Thorpe embarrassed as cookbook past exposed on Celebrity MasterChef

The other contestants on Celebrity MasterChef are left reeling when the judges reveal one forgotten fact from Ian Thorpe’s past.

Australian sporting legend Ian Thorpe suffers an embarrassing moment during Sunday night’s season premiere of Celebrity MasterChef, when his true culinary credentials are exposed in front of the other contestants.

Thorpie, 38, is best known to most Australians as a five-time Olympic gold medallist swimmer, so you could be forgiven for forgetting he’s also a successful author of several cook books.

His first cookbook, Cook For Your Life, was published in 2011, with a second, Eat Well Now, following in 2016.

With his cookbook past, Thorpie’s one to watch this season.

In the first book Thorpe “shares the recipes that keep him trim and healthy, as well as his philosophy on diet gathered from experts on nutrition and diet over all of his years of elite sporting success.”

The follow-up “covers vegetarian, seafood, poultry, beef, lamb and pork recipes, as well as sides and desserts.”

Lining up with the other celeb contestants in tonight’s premiere, Thorphie looks more than a little embarrassed when judge Jock Zonfrillo reveals that he’s in fact published a cookbook (Zonfrillo stopped short of revealing Thorpe actually had two to his name).

Thorpie’s first cookbook …

… and his second.

It prompts an immediate reaction from his competitors, among them designer Collette Dinnigan and former Offspring actor Matt Le Nevez – who signals a “time out” to the cameras, jokingly demanding to talk to the show’s producers.

Fellow contestant Matt Le Nevez called for a time out.

It makes Thorpie arguably the most qualified celebs competing this season – although he may face stiff competition from 19-year-old Tilly Ramsay, given her father is none other than celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay.

Other celebs competing this season: Gold Logie winner Rebecca Gibney, singer Dami Im, presenter Chrissie Swan, comedian Dilruk Jayasinha, professional football player Archie Thompson and AFL champion Nick Riewoldt.

Judges Zonfrillo, Melissa Leong, Andy Allen are back at the helm to discover which celebrity has the most talent in the kitchen outside of their usual day job.

Celebrity MasterChef premieres 7.30pm Sunday on Ten.

Originally published as Ian Thorpe embarrassed as cookbook past exposed on Celebrity MasterChef