MasterChef: Wynne Evans showcases Welsh produce in recipes

Wynne Evans is promoting Welsh produce on Masterchef

Presenter and opera singer Wynne Evans said he has had a "brilliant opportunity" to show Welsh produce on the latest series of Celebrity MasterChef.

He said he was so proud to be able to use food and drink from Wales and to give a platform to small businesses.

In an interview with BBC Radio Cymru, he also said the experience was "hard" and that he was nervous at times.

Wynne will appear in the semi-final of the competition next week.

The BBC Radio Wales presenter has been using ingredients from Wales during the series - including Welsh whisky and Welsh lamb.

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"It's important to do things Welsh," said the 51-year-old from Carmarthen.

"At the start, I used salt marsh lamb, Penclawdd cockles, Penderyn Whisky… Felinfoel (beer).

"I want to support small companies from Wales who are producing amazing things to eat. It's important to use them in the programme."

Evans described it as "a great opportunity", but added: "To tell you the truth, I'm nervous - very nervous.

"When you go into the kitchen for the first time - just overwhelmed.

"It's hard to use the oven, the machines - it's hard."

Wynne Evans is competing against a host of other celebrities on the cooking show

He said he had experience of cooking when he was younger and he had lessons with "the queen of the kitchen" Ena Thomas, who was on the S4C programme, Heno.

Wynne said his mum organised those cooking lessons.

"I really enjoy it because when I was a kid, my mum was worried, so she sent me for cooking lessons with Ena Thomas," he said.

"So I was going to these lessons in a youth centre in Carmarthen for three years.

"I love being in the kitchen so when the opportunity came to be on MasterChef - I jumped at it thinking this is what Ena would have wanted."

He said the most difficult part of being in the competition was the fact time seems to go so fast.

"You don't have a watch or a mobile so you don't know the exact time," he added.

"When Greg Wallace (the presenter) says 'five minutes', you just panic."