These are the participants in "Stars at the Castle"

He has previously been a chef on the programme - but this year, Tareq Taylor returns to "The Stars at the Castle" as a participant, along with others including Maria Montazami as a co-star. It's very different but exciting, honourable and a bit nerve-wracking, says Taylor.

» Updated: July 16 2024

» Published: June 14 2024

These are the participants in "Stars at the Castle"
Photo: Christoffer Lomfors

He has previously been a chef on the programme – but this year, Tareq Taylor returns to "Stars at the Castle" as a participant, alongside Maria Montazami as a co-star.

It's very different but exciting, honourable and a bit nervous, says Taylor.

Actress and comedian Christine Meltzer is also checking in at Bäckaskog Castle this summer, for the nineteenth version of the SVT programme.

Even guitarist Janne Schaffer and former footballer Tomas Brolin are joining them. It's the second year that an athlete is participating, after the programme was broadened last year with Olympic medal winner Pernilla Wiberg and celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson.

This year, chef Tareq Taylor is a guest at the castle – where he has cooked for the participants during six previous seasons, until Frida Ronge took over in 2023. Now he's going to "relax and lean back". But talking about himself, he thinks, feels scary.

It's like laying yourself on a plate and saying "here I am". I've luckily spilled out a bit about myself in different places before and have practised it. But it's a completely different thing to have a whole day that's mine and to tell very much about myself to people I haven't met before.

Not Holding Back

Tareq Taylor can't mention a specific event he's going to lift, rather, he thinks it's about compressing life into a story that's "hopefully interesting".

But the complete picture of me hasn't come out before, maybe.

He thinks it's important to continue keeping parts of his life private. The former Hollywood wife Maria Montazami, however, is "not going to hide at all".

This is me, take it or leave it, she says – and adds that she almost fainted from the question.

"Stars at the Castle" is such a prestigious programme. I'm thrilled to be part of it with this gang – what people!

"Dreams in Shambles"

Montazami is going to talk about her life in the USA, all the dreams that went up in smoke, and how it feels not to have a father in her life. In previous interviews, she has told about how she discovered that her husband had a secret child who later became part of the family.

I don't want anyone to get sad, but I have to tell my story. Luckily, the ending is good. You have to have "self-pride" in what you do, but I'm not just a Hollywood wife with a life that's playing.

The nineteenth season of "Stars at the Castle" will be shown as usual around New Year's.

Maria Montazami comes from Västerås but has lived in California for a long time. She made her TV debut in 2009 in "Swedish Hollywood Wives" and has since participated in, among other things, "Let's Dance" and "My Truth".

Tomas Brolin was born in Hudiksvall. He helped take Sweden to bronze in the 1994 World Championship, has won the UEFA Cup, and has been awarded the Golden Ball twice. After his football career, he has been a restaurateur and businessman.

Tareq Taylor comes from Malmö and is a TV chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author. He has participated in "Stars at the Castle" as a chef and also in "Garden Times" and "History Eaters". He will revive the programme "Here's Your Fridge" on Kanal 5 and Max this autumn.

Christine Meltzer was born in Stockholm. She is a comedian, programme leader, and actress and is behind the humour programmes "Hey Baberiba" and "Friday All Week". She has, among other things, led Melodifestivalen.

Janne Schaffer from Stockholm is a composer and electric guitarist. He has had a solo career and worked with Abba, Toto, Bob Marley, Ted Gärdestad, and with Lasse Åberg and Klasse Möllberg in Electric Banana Band.

Chef Frida Ronge will serve the stars dishes inspired by their lives.

Tags

TTT
By TTThis article has been altered and translated by Sweden Herald

More news

Ferry Svan Advances in Let's
2 MIN READ

Ferry Svan Advances in Let's Dance as Ciara Zelmerlöw Exits

Academy Apologizes to Director Hamdan
1 MIN READ

Academy Apologizes to Director Hamdan Ballal After Criticism

Mammas Nya Kille Returns for
1 MIN READ

Mammas Nya Kille Returns for a Ninth Season on Sveriges Radio

Hov1 Expands Farewell Tour with
1 MIN READ

Hov1 Expands Farewell Tour with New Dates in Sweden and Finland

Olympic Champion Sarah Sjöström First
2 MIN READ

Olympic Champion Sarah Sjöström First Out on Masked Singer Sweden

Zelda Film Set for 2027
1 MIN READ

Zelda Film Set for 2027 Release with Live-Action Adventure

Trump's Cultural Moves Mirror Putin's
2 MIN READ

Trump's Cultural Moves Mirror Putin's Tactics, Expert Warns

Frida Edman Takes the Helm
1 MIN READ

Frida Edman Takes the Helm at Gothenburg City Theatre

Diary of a Wimpy Kid
1 MIN READ

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series Surpasses 300 Million Copies Sold

Sanna Samuelsson Wins Swedish Radio's
1 MIN READ

Sanna Samuelsson Wins Swedish Radio's Short Story Prize

Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson Releases
1 MIN READ

Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson Releases Book with Blake's Grave Soil

Indian Film Debut Shines: All
3 MIN READ

Indian Film Debut Shines: All We Imagine as Light Hits Swedish Cinemas

Kaliffa Launches 31-Stop Summer Tour
1 MIN READ

Kaliffa Launches 31-Stop Summer Tour Across Sweden and Mariehamn

Norén Brothers Tour Continues Without
2 MIN READ

Norén Brothers Tour Continues Without Gustaf as Viktor Leads with Guest Artists

Kent's Legacy Lives On with
1 MIN READ

Kent's Legacy Lives On with Fresh Takes by Emerging Artists

Gorillaz Set to Release New
1 MIN READ

Gorillaz Set to Release New Album in 2025, Confirms Damon Albarn

Paul Lynch's Novel Explores Collapse
4 MIN READ

Paul Lynch's Novel Explores Collapse of Democracy and Human Resilience

Camilla Läckberg Opens Up Family
3 MIN READ

Camilla Läckberg Opens Up Family Life in New Reality Series

Swedish Artists Rally Against Rehearsal
2 MIN READ

Swedish Artists Rally Against Rehearsal Room Closures

Mia Skäringer Returns as Ann-Marie
3 MIN READ

Mia Skäringer Returns as Ann-Marie in New SVT Series Choosing Joy

Trump Targets Museums to Remove
1 MIN READ

Trump Targets Museums to Remove Divisive Narratives and Ideologies

Kent's Farewell Concerts Set New
3 MIN READ

Kent's Farewell Concerts Set New Attendance Record in Stockholm

Sweden's KAJ to Perform Sixth
2 MIN READ

Sweden's KAJ to Perform Sixth in Eurovision Semi-Final 1

Salman Rushdie Unveils New Short
2 MIN READ

Salman Rushdie Unveils New Short Story Collection This November

Benjamin Ingrosso Shines with Three
4 MIN READ

Benjamin Ingrosso Shines with Three Wins at Sweden's Grammis Awards

Sundance Film Festival to Relocate
1 MIN READ

Sundance Film Festival to Relocate from Park City to Boulder in 2027

Reindeer Fawn Leads Bafta Nominations
1 MIN READ

Reindeer Fawn Leads Bafta Nominations with Eight Nods

Afro-Swedish Archive Creator and Cultural
1 MIN READ

Afro-Swedish Archive Creator and Cultural Innovators Win Prestigious Award

Prosecutor Seeks Therapy and Conditional
2 MIN READ

Prosecutor Seeks Therapy and Conditional Sentence for Depardieu

Hellenius Confirms Masked Singer Unchanged
1 MIN READ

Hellenius Confirms Masked Singer Unchanged Despite Divorce Rumors

Academy of Fine Arts Warns
2 MIN READ

Academy of Fine Arts Warns Against Merging Swedish Art Institutions

Swedish Authors Compete for Nordic
1 MIN READ

Swedish Authors Compete for Nordic Council Children's Literature Prize

Culture Minister Liljestrand Reflects on
1 MIN READ

Culture Minister Liljestrand Reflects on Playful Gothenburg Speech

Algerian-French Author Boualem Sansal Sentenced
1 MIN READ

Algerian-French Author Boualem Sansal Sentenced to Five Years in Prison

Benjamin Ingrosso Leads Grammis Gala
3 MIN READ

Benjamin Ingrosso Leads Grammis Gala with Five Nominations

Abba Voyage Setlist Gets a
1 MIN READ

Abba Voyage Setlist Gets a Refresh for Third Anniversary Celebration

Three Couples Tie the Knot
3 MIN READ

Three Couples Tie the Knot in Swedish Love is Blind Finale

Ultras Documentary Celebrates Passionate Football
3 MIN READ

Ultras Documentary Celebrates Passionate Football Fan Culture

The Magic Flute Debuts in
1 MIN READ

The Magic Flute Debuts in Swedish at Gothenburg Opera This Fall

Miranda Nordqvist Wins Prestigious Jan
1 MIN READ

Miranda Nordqvist Wins Prestigious Jan Wallander Prize