The Chase star Jenny Ryan, 37, signed up for this year’s Celebrity Masterchef alongside a host of famous faces including Strictly Come Dancing professional Oti Mabuse, 29, comedian Josie Long, 37, and Dominic Parker, 55.
Many Twitter users flocked to social media to query this series’ line-up, with some questioning contestants’ celebrity status.
In response to one fan, who has now deleted their tweet, she wrote: “To be honest, I barely consider myself a celebrity – although the bookers on this show clearly did.
“It doesn’t surprise me if someone doesn’t know who I am. I was more irritated on behalf of my colleagues, who are well-known and don’t deserve the snark.”
She added: “Besides, if I don’t know something my first course of action is to do some light research to rectify the situation, rather than shout ‘WHO???’ into the void.
“Maybe I’m weird like that but I suppose it’s how I got good at my job.”
In response to another now deleted tweet, Jenny insisted she wasn’t “laying into everyone who doesn’t recognise” celebrities on the show.
She wrote: “At no point was I laying into everyone who doesn’t recognise every single celebrity on these shows.
“If you have a tendency to touchiness, perhaps re-read things to ensure you have the correct meaning before responding?”
Another fan queried: “Surely the whole point of a celebrity is that a significant number of civilians knows who they are?”
She replied: “It is, and they do. But the proudly ignorant section like to shout loud.
“There’s nobody in my heat of CMC that is *not* a celebrity by that definition (all regularly host/appear on nationally broadcast TV and radio) but some folk like to imply that they’re undeserving.”
Another fan asked how Dr Alex George, 27, who rose to fame on Love Island last year, was considered a celebrity.
Hitting back, Jenny replied: “You’re perfectly capable of clicking on/hovering over Dr Alex’s Twitter name to read his bio.”
Another wrote: “I’ve heard of yourself and @stephanddom but not the others. Doesn’t mean they’re not celebrities to a lot of people, just depends on your interests.”
Agreeing with the latter, she replied: “Precisely! We are each well known to different audiences (ITV daytime, Channel 4, Radio 1Xtra/BBC Three, ITV2, Radio 4) which makes the mixture even more intriguing!”
Earlier this week, Jenny Ryan appeared stunned when her co-star Paul Sinha, 49, told her she had been mentioned on Radio 4 show The Archers.
In view of his 128,000 followers, he wrote: “@jenlion YOU HAVE JUST BEEN MENTIONED ON THE ARCHERS.”
Expressing her shock, Jenny replied: “WAT,”(sic) in view of her 50,000 followers.
Paul replied: “You were the subject of a question in the pub quiz in Ambridge. The answer was something called ‘The Chase’.”
The Vixen star also shared Paul’s tweet with the caption: “At last, validation! Though Clarrie [Grundy, played by Heather Bell] doesn’t know who I am.”
The Chase continues tonight at 5pm on ITV. Celebrity Masterchef airs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8pm and 9pm on BBC One.