A beloved MasterChef star has been forced to leave the cooking program after being diagnosed with cancer.
Pete Campbell, who came second in season 13 before returning to the Back to Win series, has exited the show after being diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma.
As the show went to air on Wednesday night, Pete, 40, was notably absent among the group of contestants.
Judge Andy Allen revealed the chef had departed the show for ‘personal reasons’, but did not further disclose Pete’s illness or health woes.
‘Due to personal reasons, Pete is unable to continue in the competition,’ Andy told the group.
‘And we wish him nothing but the best.’
MasterChef contestant Pete Campbell (pictured) has been forced to leave the cooking program after being diagnosed with cancer
However Pete took to Instagram after the episode aired to confirm he was undergoing chemotherapy after being diagnosed with cancer.
‘Didn’t even get to cook for the judges! But you know what they say… “if you have cancer you should go get chemo,”‘ he wrote.
‘A massive thank you to everyone messaging and checking in, you’re all so nice.’
He first revealed his cancer diagnosis in January by sharing a selfie to social media.
‘New look for my cancer/chemo era… Hodgkins lymphoma, you dog,’ he captioned the image.
Pete told Woman’s Day, the diagnosis ‘was a complete shock’ because he had no symptoms other than swollen lymph nodes.
‘The diagnosis was a complete shock. Given I had no other symptoms and felt completely healthy, I asked the doctor if I could start treatment after the competition,’ the father-of-two explained.
‘She told me I’d possibly die and that’s when the severity of the situation really hit me and replaced the disappointment.
Pete, who came second in season 13 before returning to the Back to Win series, has exited the show after being diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma
As the show went to air on Wednesday night, Pete, 40, was notably absent among the group of contestants
‘From there I just wanted to start treatment as soon as possible and get better for my family.’
Pete said he had his first session of chemotherapy just one week after his diagnosis.
Hodgkin lymphoma develops in the lymphatic system, which is a network of vessels and glands spread throughout the body that are responsible for getting rid of waste and fighting infections.
The cells within this system develop abnormally and form swellings near the lymph glands, such as in the neck, armpit and groin.
The damaged cells also lose their infection-fighting properties, making patients more vulnerable to infection.
Hodgkin lymphoma can develop at any age, but it mostly affects men between 20 and 40 years of age and those over 75.
