A Celebrity MasterChef contestant has clapped back at an online critic who criticized her appearance on the popular BBC One cooking show.

The finalist from RuPaul’s Drag Race, who reached the last stage of the competition, took to social media to address the negative remark.

Ginger Johnson, who triumphed in the 2023 season of Drag Race, participated in MasterChef while fully embracing her drag persona, complete with a voluminous ginger wig and striking makeup.

This bold choice led one viewer, who vented their disapproval on X, previously known as Twitter, to label the 36-year-old performer, whose real name is Donald Marshall, as “ludicrous.”

The detractor posted, “Ginger, you’re not a ‘woman,’ you look absolutely ludicrous,” using the Celebrity MasterChef hashtag to accompany their comment.

Underneath the comment, Ginger hit back: ‘Thank you, sweetheart! “Ludicrous” is exactly what I’m aiming for. Have a lovely Christmas.’

The RuPaul’s Drag Race star, who made it to the final of the series last night, took to social media to hit back with a response to the nasty comment

Ginger, 36, the stage name for Donald Marshall, was branded ‘ludicrous’ by one cruel viewer, who took to X, formerly Twitter, to hit out at her appearance

Fans of the star were thrilled to see her clap back against the user, and flooded her with supportive messages telling her they ‘love her’. 

‘Well you’re succeeding beyond expectations dear, well done,’ one wrote, as another chimed in: ‘There’s something really funny about adding a hashtag to a hate post…’

Ginger made it to the final of Celebrity MasterChef alongside writer Dawn O’Porter, and rugby star Alun Wyn Jones, beating Uma Jammesh, Ashley Cain, Chris Hughes and Michelle Heaton. 

She shot to fame in 2023 when she won RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, and went on to co-present online breakfast show Wakey! and host her own BBC Three series, Ginger’s House the following year. 

Ginger has also written children’s short stories Glamorous Gran and Other Tall Stories, which she has performed at the Southbank Centre.  

Last night, the final three contestants of Celebrity MasterChef 2025 were revealed on Tuesday’s show after Alfie Boe bowed out of the competition. 

The tenor, 52, was eliminated after failing to impress with a cake that tasted a bit ‘eggy’, leaving Dawn O’Porter, Alun Why Jones and Ginger Johnson to sail through to Friday’s grande finale.  

After his exit, viewers took to X to reveal they were ‘gutted’ for Alfie as they wanted to see him go on through to the next round.  

Ginger, who won her series of Drag Race in 2023, took to the MasterChef kitchen in full drag, including her large ginger wig and glamorous make-up

Ginger made it to the final of Celebrity MasterChef alongside writer Dawn O’Porter, and rugby star Alun Wyn Jones

The show started with judges Grace Dent and John Torode welcoming the final four and telling them to cook a dish dedicated to someone special.

Alfie created a two-layer cake in tribute to his late father, who died 28 years ago.

One half of it was a nod to his father’s favourite cake, Yorkshire ginger Parkin and the other was a nod to his incredible career as a tenor as he made a Belgian Le Misérable cake topped with ginger and cinnamon poached apricots. 

But the dish didn’t quite hit the mark with Grace, who told him: ‘The Le Mis part of it is undercooked and because of that, it tastes a bit of egg. But the Parkin is just incredible, it’s gingery and satisfying. Love it.’ 

Meanwhile, the judges were impressed with Dawn and said she showed her ‘very best’ after she made a kebab, which was in homage to the kebab she ate on the night she became her husband Chris O’Dowd’s girlfriend.

After the four lined up the judges announced Alfie would go home. 

Reflecting on his exit, the singer said: ‘This has been quite precious. These moments in life that come about are really special. I’m happy to be going home as a Celebrity MasterChef finalist.’  

Viewers were sad Alfie didn’t make it to through and wrote on X: ‘I’m gutted Alfie has gone. He’s done such good dishes (cook of the day three times) and it was great seeing him fight his nerves. He should still be there’. 

The tenor, 52, was eliminated after failing to impress with a cake that tasted a bit ‘eggy’, leaving Dawn O’Porter, Alun Why Jones and Ginger Johnson to sail through as the finalists

Alun, Dawn and Ginger then each had to cook one of Liam’s modern British dishes for six chefs who are also at the top of their game

‘Ginge shouldn’t still be in #celebritymasterchef if you miss a major team challenge you should be gone. Alfie should have stayed!!’

‘Just caught up on #celebritymasterchef @AlfieBoe I feel as if I went through every step that with you , as did all of your fans. Thankful and proud of you’.

The final three then headed straight to Lichfield in Staffordshire for their next assignment, the daunting Chef’s Table.

It was held at The Boat, a three-rosette restaurant led by chef patron Liam Dillon.   

Alun, Dawn and Ginger each had to cook one of Liam’s modern British dishes for six chefs who are also at the top of their game: Lisa Goodwin-Allen, Sat Bains, Paul Ainsworth, Chet Sharma, David Taylor and Chantelle Nicholson. 

After the round, no one left the competition.

John said: ‘All the lessons are over. It’s back to the MasterChef kitchen because there’s three cooks and only one that can be our winner.’

The Celebrity MasterChef 2025 Final takes place on Friday December 19, 2025 at 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.