MasterChef starts shaping 2024 season without beloved judge Jock Zonfrillo

Channel 10 will soon begin shaping the next season of MasterChef without late judge Jock Zonfrillo, with a lauded local chef expected to join the panel in his place.

The sensitive evolution of MasterChef following the death of much-loved judge Jock Zonfrillo begins this week as the show starts shaping its 2024 season.

Casting for contestants for the new season, a lengthy and detailed process that takes up to five months to lock away, will get underway in a matter of days.

“Contestant casting will commence this week, to find the next crop of Australia’s best home cooks for season 16 of MasterChef Australia,” a Network 10 spokesperson said.

However, 10 is yet to start looking for a charismatic food identity to fill the gaping void left in the show’s all important judging panel by Zonfrillo’s shock passing in a Carlton hotel room on April 30.

Late MasterChef judge Jock Zonfrillo. Picture: Channel 10

“A decision on Jock Zonfrillo’s replacement for the next season of MasterChef Australia will not be considered until later this year,” the spokesperson said.

Ten is currently rolling out this year’s series of MasterChef featuring Zonfrillo.

The MasterChef production team is also deep into the filming of its latest spin off Dessert Masters.

The new season of MasterChef is expected to start filming in late November or early December.

Chef Jamie Oliver on the set of MasterChef with judges Melissa Leong, Andy Allen and Jock Zonfrillo.

When the search for a new judge to join Melissa Leong and Andy Allen does get underway it is expected the eventual winning candidate will emerge from the local top chef ranks.

The length of the MasterChef shoot, four plus months, would rule out an international superstar chef such as Curtis Stone, Marco Pierre White, Jamie Oliver or Gordon Ramsay, taking the gig – the time commitment on the ground in Australia being too great.

And with Leong filling the role of food critic and Allen representing MasterChef contestant heritage, it would be reasonable to expect producers and 10 would be looking towards a lauded local cooking star to round out the panel.

MasterChef is averaging 837,000 total national viewers. Picture: Ten

Ten’s upfront 2024 programming reveal in October would be the most likely place for Zonfrillo’s successor, once found, to be officially announced.

MasterChef Australia this year is up 9 per cent on total viewing numbers compared to the same point in 2022, a boost that could sadly be linked to the interest in how the show would cope with Zonfrillo’s death.

The show is averaging 837,000 total national viewers.

It launched in May to 1.28 million viewers, a 44 per cent boost compared with its launch in 2022, and is performing strongly in the 25 to 54 and 16 to 39 audience demographics.

Kirsten Tibballs is vying for the $100,000 prize on Channel 10’s Dessert Masters. Picture: Jason Edwards

Meanwhile, ten of Australia’s most decorated pastry chefs, chocolate connoisseurs and baking experts led by ‘chocolate queen’ Kirsten Tibballs, are turning up the heat in the kitchen in the fight to be named Australia’s first ever Dessert Master.

Joining Tibballs vying for the $100,000 prize on Channel 10’s Dessert Masters, are MasterChef favourites Reynold Poernomo, Anna Polyviou and Jess Liemantara.

Another star of the sweet realm taking part in the show is Adriano Zumbo – the celebrated patissier is known as Australia’s answer to Willy Wonka.

Melbourne’s donut king Morgan Hipworth, who launched his bakehouse, Bistro Morgan, aged just 15, is eating up the Dessert Masters challenge as are Kay-Lene Tan, Andy Bowdy, Rhiann Mead and Gareth Whitton.

Dessert Masters will be seen on 10 later this year.