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Award-winning C³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ today announces it has commissioned a series of Junior MasterChef.

And C³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ is looking for contestants to take part in the challenge!

Based on the successful MasterChef, and the junior version seen on Children In Need, Junior MasterChef will give some of Britain's best young cooks the chance to become the Junior MasterChef 2010.

The competition aims to find and encourage talented young cooks who have a flair for making exceptional food from scratch.

In each heat children will be challenged to cook a two-course meal (main and pudding) in just one hour. The range of food will be dictated by the diverse range of children and be based on what they think yummy food is all about.

The 13-part series will have eight heats, two quarter-finals, two semis and a final cook-off with the remaining three children.

The competitors will be aged between nine and 12 years old and have real passion, enthusiasm and potential.

Richard Deverell, Controller, ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Children's, said: "It's wonderful to announce this new series following the success of the special Children in Need episode.

"We hope to inspire children round the country to get cooking in what promises to be an aspirational, fun and enjoyable cooking competition."

The series is being made for C³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ by Shine Television and is executive produced by Karen Ross. The C³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ executive producer is Bridget Banton.

The series will be broadcast in Winter 2009/10. It was commissioned by former C³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Controller, Anne Gilchrist.

C³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ is looking for nine to 12 year olds who love cooking to take part in Junior MasterChef. For more information visit bbc.co.uk/cbbc or www.masterchef.tv. The closing date for applications is 30 September 2009.

Notes to Editors

C³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ won the Children's Channel of the Year Award at the Children's BAFTAs in November 2008 and was named Children's Channel of the Year at the Broadcast Digital Awards in June 2009.

Figures show that C³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ is one of the most-loved channels for children, and it reaches more six to 12 year olds than any other children's channel in the UK. Almost a third of all six to 12 year olds in digital homes in the UK tune into C³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ on a weekly basis.

MasterChef, the iconic cookery show, is based on a format created by Franc Roddam and has been produced by Shine Television since 2005. MasterChef is presented and judged by John Torode and Gregg Wallace.

It follows members of the public as they set out to prove they have the skills and flair required to succeed as a great chef. It will transfer from ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Two to ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ One in 2010.

Celebrity MasterChef has recently finished its fourth series on ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ One with another series due next year while MasterChef: The Professionals starts a new series on ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Two in the autumn.

LP