On last night’s episode of Celebrity MasterChef, viewers were in stitches when Joey Essex mistakenly used thyme instead of chives in his sausage dish. Despite the culinary blunder, the reality star managed to advance to the next round.

The 29-year-old former TOWIE star, hailing from Essex, was tasked with preparing a straightforward sausage and mash meal alongside other contestants. However, he mixed up his herbs during the process.

Admitting earlier on the show to having limited cooking experience, Joey inadvertently added thyme to his sausages and dill to his mashed potatoes.

When the judges pointed out his error, Joey confessed he wasn’t familiar with thyme at all.

Twitter users found the moment amusing, with one commenting, “The fact Joey Essex didn’t know what thyme was absolutely cracked me up.”

Joey (pictured) 29, who is a former TOWIE cast member, was making a a simple meal of sausage and mash, along with other contestants on last nights show – but he got his herbs mixed up

The star, who earlier in the show admitted that he didn’t have much experience at cooking, accidentally put thyme in his sausage and dill in his mash (pictured)

Fans of the show mocked his mishap and said that the contestant that did leave must have been embarrassed 

Despite the mishap, Joey seemed pleased with his creation when he presented the pork sausage and mash to the judges, with the dish looking quite appealing.

However the judges did question the gravy, which looked lumpy and not very pleasing to the eye.

However judge Greg Wallace said to Joey as he tasted it: ‘You haven’t put chives in your sausages you’ve put thyme in it.’

But Joey didn’t understand and said: ‘Thyme? What do you mean?’

Greg Wallace informed Joey last night that he had put thyme in his pork sausages and not chives 

The other celebrities, including Neil ‘Razor’ Ruddock, Andy Grant and Dame Zandra Rhodes found his mix up hilarious 

Greg tried to explain by saying: ‘Thyme – its another herb,’ while you can see the other celebrities chuckling behind him and Joey naively asks – ‘Is that good?’

Surprisingly Greg says: ‘Pork and thyme is a lovely flavour combination.’ 

Looking pleased with himself Joey says: ‘Is that chive in the mash?’

But Greg has to inform him again: ‘That’s dill – they are all green Joey.’ 

However the judges said that the meal was lovely – considering his lack of knowledge on herbs. 

The judges said that Joey’s meal was lovely – considering his lack of knowledge on herbs. Pictured: Joey making hi sausages 

Joey, who said he didn’t have much experience in the kitchen, cooked up his sausage with the wrong herb

Viewers watching the show thought it was hilarious and took to Twitter to mock him: ‘Joey Essex having a great time!!! Thyme?.. Dill?…’ one said as they shared a gif.

One joked: ‘Imagine going out of a cooking competition before the guy who couldn’t tell the difference between chives and thyme.’

Another said: ‘Joey Essex thinking that thyme and dill were variants of chives and yet it tasted okay.’

While a fourth commented: ‘Is Joey Essex for real, Thyme Joey Thyme. It’s a herb.’

Many took to Twitter to say how hilarious the mix up was but other thought it was unfair that he was still in the show 

 With such a big muck up, and his lack of experience in the kitchen, many thought that Joey would be the first celebrity to leave, but it was fellow contestant Andy Grant, who went.

Andy, who is known as a long distance runner and former Marine, was disappointed by his departure, and so were many viewers – mainly as Joey was still in. 

One even took to Twitter to say: ‘Joey Essex has survived? Excuse me?’