The three talented chefs from the north east of England are halfway through their heat, and the pressure is mounting. Once again, they each serve a unique take on the brief celebrating British animation and illustration, inspired by Paddington's 65th birthday. 

For mains, one chef is taking inspiration from the Terrible Tudors and Horrible Histories written by Sunderland's Terry Deary and illustrated by Martin Brow. This comes with a Tudor-style mulled wine jelly castle. Another is paying homage to the graphic novel series Heartstopper by Alice Oseman, and there is a Funnybones dish, inspired by the Ahlberg illustrations, with parkin wishbone. But whose approach and final delivery will veteran judge Angela Hartnett be most impressed by? 

After the nail-biting scoring on the mains, presenter Andi Oliver asks the chefs to prepare a pre-dessert or palate cleanser. Angela must blind taste and rank them. as they will be used in the event of tie to decide who goes home, and given the strength of the competition, this looks likely. There is a stunning Victoria sponge with sorbet centre inspired by the Mole's obsession with cake in Charlie Mackesy's illustrated The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse. There is a nod to Wallace's favourite cheese in a Wensleydale parfait sandwiched in a ginger cracker, and a dish inspired by comic book heroine Ivy the Terrible. The question is: whose dish will taste the best? 

After a glimpse of their pudding skills, it's on to dessert. One dish celebrates Quentin Blake's illustrations of Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach, with a peach-centred cheesecake, woodruff lady bug, and lemon verbena glow worm. Another dish is inspired by Dapo Adeola's illustrated book Look Up, with a multi-flavoured phoenix meteor shower creation, and there is an ode to the visual impact of popular computer game Worms. Which chef will prove they have the winning formula to get the top marks, and who will go home? 

Only two will proceed to cook for the judges and have a chance to represent the north east of England at the regional finals. 

The heats for the south west of England begin. Returning to the programme are Nick Beardshaw, head chef at Kerridge's Bar and Grill, and chef Charlotte Vincent, who cooked her whole menu last year but didn't make it to the judges. They are joined by Andi Tuck, head chef at St Kew Inn in Cornwall, and Amber Francis, head chef at the Zebra Riding Club in Hertfordshire. 

Presenter Andi Oliver welcomes them to the kitchen, where the theme for this year's competition is inspired by Paddington's 65th Birthday and a celebration of British animation and illustration – from cartoons to comics to computer games. One of the four must leave the competition at the end of the episode, to be decided by this week's veteran judge - a previous winner who remains a surprise to the chefs until the moment they walk into the kitchen to taste the first-course canapes.