Taking each other on in a fraught and hilarious culinary clash is Mark Nathan, Sihle Zungu, Chontal Crouse and Shubnum Nazeer.

Night one is Nathan’s turn to host, and his guests are presented with a multi-named spider, an African Grey parrot and a suspicious looking hair in one of the starters. It’s no wonder the guests start acting as though they’re inmates at a zoo. Is anyone worried that the parrot’s unfortunate name is ‘Chicken’? They don’t say, and they don’t stay.

Dinner party number two falls to Nazeer, serving her guests an alcohol free night, which is just as well, as the evening soon turns into a battle of the sexes. In a series of challenges, the competitive vibe quickly gets turned up a notch, or three.

Zungu’s mantra of ‘a woman’s place is in the kitchen’ never rings more true than on his own host night, as the kitchen turns out to be his undoing. A sausage salad, roast chicken and a custard orange pudding are on offer, but the crowd are far from impressed.

Magic spells, incantations and broomsticks take centre stage on white witch Crouse’s night, hoping to have her guests spellbound with her special offering. Ensuring each of her guests are catered for, will she weave enough magic to win her the grand prize?

This episode of Come Dine With Me South Africa airs on Monday, 2 December at 20:00 on BBC Entertainment, channel 120 on DStv.