‘Special moment’: Jock Zonfrillo’s widow Lauren posts emotional message ahead of MasterChef finale

The widow of MasterChef Australia host Jock Zonfrillo posted a heartbreaking video ahead of the show’s season finale on Sunday night.

The widow of MasterChef Australia host Jock Zonfrillo posted a heartbreaking video on social media ahead of the show’s season finale on Sunday night.

The Scottish chef died in a Melbourne hotel room on April 30, while doing press for the new season of the popular cooking show.

The 46-year-old had only returned briefly to the country while leaving his wife Lauren and their two young children Alfie, five, and Isla, two, back in Italy where they had been holidaying.

In an emotional Instagram Reel shared on her late husband’s account on Sunday, Ms Zonfrillo revealed that while she hadn’t been able to watch any of the current season, the family was going to watch the finale to honour Jock’s memory.

“As a family we’re going to try to watch it,” she said.

Lauren Zonfrillo said the family would be watching. Picture: Instagram

“We haven’t been able to watch this season just yet, something we will do, but we felt that tonight was an important one to watch. Like most families there’s moments across the year that are special, and we used to really enjoy watching the finale together. It was something Jock was really proud of, it was a job he really loved doing, so we’ve decided were going to honour that and keep doing what we would normally do and watch the finale together.”

Ms Zonfrillo said she had received many messages throughout the day from people “and they all seem to be really sad”.

“So I just wanted to get on here and say, yes it is sad, but this is something he loved doing and this is not the end of the line for Jock at all. We have so many wonderful recipes of Jock having fun, of travel, of family stuff that I would love to share with everyone and it’s very much a way I can find meaning through all of this.”

Jock and Lauren Zonfrillo. Picture: @zonfrillo

Ms Zonfrillo thanked everyone for their kind messages.

“I’ve loved the messages I’ve received today — of course it’s made me sad but from that comes a lot of happiness and pride for Jock, so enjoy the finale,” she said.

Brent Draper and Rhiannon Anderson go head to head for the title of the cooking show on Sunday night.

The semi-final of the show for 2023, which aired on Thursday, marked the last episode that was filmed before Zonfrillo’s death.

The MasterChef Australia 2023 finale. Picture: Channel 10

The episode featured a particularly emotional scene in which Zonfrillo broke down in tears over letters sent in by the families of the final four contestants.

The letter belonged to Brent Draper, and detailed how proud his wife and son — also named Alfie — were of the way he had overcome his mental health battled in recent years.

Fans took to social media to share how challenging the scene was to watch.

“Tonight broke me. When Brent was reading his letter and jock was tearing up,” one said.

“All I could think of was Jock’s family. I bawled my eyes out.”

“This episode really hit it hard for me with the love and letters from their families, when I saw Jock tearing up, I lost it and started crying when I saw him, Realising that soon he will be gone and he has no idea,” a second person wrote.

— with NCA NewsWire

Originally published as ‘Special moment’: Jock Zonfrillo’s widow Lauren posts emotional message ahead of MasterChef finale