Melanie Blatt: who is Celebrity MasterChef 2022 star, was she in All Saints - who is ex partner Stuart Zender?

Singer Melanie Blatt has proved she is multi-talented after making it through to the final of Celebrity Masterchef.

The songstress will show off her best culinary skills and go up against two other famous faces; McFly’s Danny Jones and TV presenter Lisa Snowdon, in a bid to be crowned winner of the BBC One cookery show.

But, just who is Melanie Blatt, how did she rise to fame and who is her ex-partner?

Here’s what you need to know.

Who is Melanie Blatt?

Melanie Blatt, whose full name is Melanie Ruth Blatt, is a singer who first rose to fame almost 30 years ago as part of girl group All Saints.

The four-piece group, who were formed in 1993, have gained five number one singles, two multi-platinum albums, two BRIT Awards and have sold over 10 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling girl groups of all time, and the second best-selling girl group in the UK.

Blatt was a part of All Saints alongside other singers, Nicole and Natalie Appleton and Shaznay Lewis. The group ended up parting ways in 2001, but have since reformed multiple times with the most recent being in 2016.

Blatt has also worked as an actress. She appeared in the film Honest in 2000 opposite Nicole and Natalie Appleton and in 2001 she played a small role in the independent British film Dog Eat Dog.

She has also presented ITV music interview show The Hot Desk since 2007 and in 2013 and 2015 she was also a judge on the television series The X Factor, New Zealand.

How old is Melanie Blatt?

Blatt was born on 25 March 1975, in Camden, London, which means she is 47-years-old.

Who is Melanie Blatt’s famous ex?

Blatt previously dated Stuart Zender, Jamiroquai’s former bass player.

Zender’s full name is Stuart Patrick Jude Zender, and he was born on 18 March 1974 in Sheffield, South Yorkshire.

Blatt gave birth to the couple’s daughter Lilyella on 20 November 1998, but they broke up in early 2006. The couple were very private throughout their eight year relationship, and the reason behind their split is not known.

Zender was a member of Jamiroquai from 1993 until 1998, when he left the band citing that he wanted to spend more time with Blatt and his new baby daughter.

After Jamiroquai, Zender played bass guitar with other artists, including All Saints, Omar, Lauryn Hill, D’Angelo, Gorillaz, Samuel Purdey, Ms. Dynamite and Stevie Wonder.

In 2006, he became the musical director and bass guitar player for Mark Ronson. When he left the Mark Ronson band in 2011, Zender started his own record label, White Buffalo Recordings, and formerly ran the music publishing company Made Youth Inc.

Does Melanie Blatt have a partner now?

Blatt is a very private person and mostly keeps details of her personal life out of the public eye.

It is not known if she is currently in a relationship. She is also rarely seen in public with her daughter Lilyella, who is now 23-years-old.

What is Melanie Blatt’s net worth?

Blatt has not publicly spoken about her earnings from her work in the music and industry, but the website Celebrity Net Worth estimates that the singer’s net worth is around £8.2 million (or $10 million).

In a 2007 interview with Digital Spy, however, Blatt insisted that despite millions of records they sold, herself and other members of All Saints do not have a lot of money.

She said: “We’re not as rich as people think. We all had to share royalties and writing credits, and we didn’t sell as many records as the Spice Girls, so I’m downsizing", referring to selling her £1.2m London house at the time.

How can I watch the Celebrity Masterchef final?

You can watch Celebrity Masterchef on BBC One and BBC iPlayer between 8.30pm and 9pm on Thursday 22 September.

If you can’t watch it live, or you want to re-watch the episode, you can also watch it on BBC iPlayer shortly after broadcast.