Network 10 has hit back at what they say are false claims they are looking for a replacement for Jock Zonfrillo.
In a statement to The West Australian, a Network 10 spokesperson said:
“Casting for the next season of MasterChef Australia has not commenced. To suggest otherwise is completely false and misleading.”
The “false” claims came after it was reported by Daily Mail Australia that former MasterChef contestants Dan Churchill and Hayden Quinn, as well as Poh Ling Yeow were among the frontrunners to replace the beloved judge.
The article also claimed that “every well-known chef” was a contender.
“While the network insists casting has not yet begun, insiders on the hit show say conversations have already started after the beloved judge’s tragic death in the early hours of May 1, one day before the show’s 2023 premiere,” the article read.
“The source described it as a ‘sombre process’ with everyone involved still grieving the enigmatic Scottish chef who joined the cast in 2019.”
“It’s understood both well-known personalities and virtual unknowns are being considered for the role.”
“Ultimately the decision will be based on chemistry, according to a production insider, with the new host needing to strike the right on-screen relationship with fellow judges Melissa Leong and Andy Allen.”
“That will be the main thing obviously because it was something that really earned Jock the position originally,” a source told Daily Mail Australia.
Zonfrillo, 46, passed away suddenly on...
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