Brigitte Nielsen has pulled out of 'Celebrity MasterChef'.

Brigitte Nielsen

Brigitte Nielsen

The 53-year-old actress - who was previously married to Sylvester Stallone - has been forced to drop out of the culinary contest after suffering a painful hip injury that would have left her unable to stand for hours at a time during filming.

A source told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "It's so frustrating, it would have been great for her profile in the UK.

"A lot of people remember Brigitte from 'Rocky' and it was hoped she would dish the dirt on Sly, as well as Eddie Murphy, who she has also worked with.

"But she's really hurt her hip and there's no way she could cope with standing all day."

Programme bosses are now feeling the pressure to find a contestant to fill the former 'Celebrity Big Brother' star's vacant slot.

The source added: "They are now rushing around to find a replacement."

It was recently revealed Ulrika Jonsson will take part on the new series of the show.

A source said: "This shows Ulrika is ready to restart her career. She was very public in opting to step out of the limelight, now she's doing something she's comfortable with -- and even has a chance of winning."

And Rachel Stevens has also jumped on board the new series - even though she said last year she's not a great cook.

She said recently: 'I'm learning to cook. It's not my forté, but I try and balance my portion sizes. I love my carbs, especially in winter. I know it's boring to say, but running after the kids helps me keep in shape."

Despite her lack of experience in the kitchen, the former S Club 7 singer isn't prepared to give up without a fight and is thoroughly looking forward to getting stuck in.

A source said: "Rachel loves cooking and can't wait to get into the kitchen. She's a keen amateur chef and won't be going home without a fight."

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