Kenilworth rugby player Terri Fearon in MasterChef final

Terri Fearon, from Warwick, is a prop for Kenilworth Women's Rugby Team

A MasterChef finalist says it will "never sink in" that she's made it to the final four of the competition.

Accountant Terri Fearon, who plays for Kenilworth Women's Rugby's Team, has endured weeks of gruelling heats to make it to the last round of the BBC One hit cooking show.

The 30-year-old will join three other chefs in making dishes for judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace this week.

The winner will be announced on Thursday.

Speaking ahead of the final, she said she had been inspired to apply for the show after years of being a fan and a "couch critic".

"Finding out I'm through to the finals feels like I'm having an out-of-body experience," she said.

"I'm not sure it will ever sink in that I'm a MasterChef finalist."

'Passion for cooking'

Ms Fearon, who grew up in County Down, Northern Ireland, described how she got her "taste for the kitchen" about 25 years ago, having discovered a "passion for cooking" during school.

She said she had read several cookbooks as a child and had watched chefs like Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay on television.

"My dad was also a chef, so I guess you could say cooking runs in my family," she explained.

"It would be amazing to carry on cooking and use this opportunity to forge a career in the food industry."

The final will air on BBC One at 20:00 BST and on Thursday.

The BBC announced last year that filming for the show would be relocating from London to Birmingham in 2024.