Sunday 20 November 2022 06:41 PM Ex-MasterChef finalist fears his restaurant will go bust after monthly energy ... trends now

An ex-Masterchef finalist is now fearing his restaurant will go bust after his monthly energy bill more than tripled from £1,700 to a staggering £6,400.

Tony Rodd, 43, who was a runner-up in the 2015 edition of the famed TV cookery show, claims that he was warned his annual gas and electricity bill will likely explode from £20,000 to £80,000.

Mr Rodd, who owns the Cooper & Ink restaurant in Blackheath, south-east London, with his wife said the prospect of having his bills shoot up is 'terrifying' and that he has 'no idea how we are going to make it through the next few months.'

Speaking to the Sun, he said: 'Our yearly estimate from EDF has spiralled up from £20,000 to £80,000 and things were already extremely tight. We are seeing a big squeeze from all sides.

'We were paying £1,700 a month at the start of the year which then went up to £2,400. Now EDF has told us that this will jump up to £6,400 as of January 2023.'

He fears the only way to cover their costs would be to hike up their prices or increase the number of customers coming in, 'neither of which is easy when most people are deeply struggling with money too'.

The relentless anxiety and stress of the situation is having a severe impact on the talented chef's mental and physical health too.