MasterChef judges stalked by eager fans in South Africa, India
They get stalked by fans overseas and have people bribing hotel to staff to find out where they’re staying. Now the MasterChef trio are out of contract in Australia, so do we really know their worth?
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One for all, all for one. The motto of the Three Musketeers has been adopted by three MasterChef judges as they discuss their contract renewals with Channel 10.
If Network Ten and production company Endemol Shine Australia don’t sign off soon, viewers might be looking at the three judges on a screen streaming from somewhere in India.
But more of that later.
French author Alexandre Dumas’ now popular catchphrase evokes a sense of solidarity not oft seen behind-the-silver-screen-scenes.
Just look at warring TV anchors (brussel sprout anyone?) to inter-office newsroom IVO’s (we hear a divide of two office desks apart still isn’t cutting it at Seven headquarters). So, well, loyalty above all else, isn’t usually a war cry heard in TV land.
MasterChef judges Matt Preston, George Calombaris and Gary Mehigan formed a strong bond long before they banded together for the MasterChef Australia premiere in 2009.
But does Australia really know their real worth?
The boys are big globally. Make that croquembouche BIG. Overseas, our Aussie MasterChef judges are cooking demigods.
In India they need Australian Federal Police to protect them from adoring mobs. They are deified in the Middle East and adored in Europe.
Calombaris has long been making a name for himself in Dubai and beyond as the MasterChef of Qatar Airways.
Mehigan’s popularity has reached godlike status in India with the rise of his show Master of Taste with Banijay Asia productions.
The production company is a spin-off from behemoth Banijay Global and launched last year. It promotes “entertainment, factual, scripted and reality across all territories in Asia.”
So it comes as no surprise that on the back of Mehigan’s Master of Taste’s success that the company would like to cut its teeth with a new format featuring all three judges.
The three judges stuck with Ten but with their two-year contracts back on the table again, all offers are now being entertained.
With filming now wrapped on the latest series now airing, the three judges are busy with their growing separate empires.
Page 13 managed to get a spare minute with Calombaris as he was busy closing his famed Press Club restaurant this week to evolve into new venture Elektra.
Calombaris says MasterChef Australia airs in 180 countries.
“Gary, Matt and I go to South Africa in September and the minute you land it starts. I’m talking people waiting at the airport, lining up it’s nuts,” Calombaris said.
“In India people are paying off people to find out what hotel we are staying. To then pay off more people to find out what hotel room you are in. To people travelling six hours from one side of the country to the other just to queue to show you some food they have created.
“There are constant things that will get thrown at us. For Gary, Matt and I it just has to be the right thing,’ he said after the Press Club’s final service.
“I’m not going to lie, there are potentials overseas where they are talking to our agents about a show,” he said.
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“What we have never underestimated is that we got given a break and credit to Ten and credit to the producers they put the three of us together. I mean who would do that? Two short arses and a tall guy with a cravat.
“We all have collectively gone through a lot over the years but we have all supported each other through those times. We are honest with each other, our families know each other and we keep each other in check.
“We are very grateful for what has gone on.”
Channel 10 yesterday told Page 13 they do not discuss talent contracts.
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