Jock Zonfrillo reportedly was ‘repeatedly’ checked on in year before death

A source has claimed there were repeated welfare checks conducted on Jock Zonfrillo in the year before his death.

Jock Zonfrillo was reportedly subject to multiple welfare checks by emergency services in the year before his tragic death last weekend.

A medical response unit was repeatedly called to check on the celebrity chef in Melbourne due to persistent concern for his wellbeing, according to The Daily Telegraph,

A source claimed to the publication Zonfrillo had been tended to on “a number of occasions” prior to his death on Sunday at Carlton’s Zagame’s House hotel.

Police found the MasterChef judge dead at 2am on May 1 after reportedly receiving a “tip off” from an unidentified source.

According to the Daily Mail, his wife Lauren Fried was the woman who made the frantic call to police.

Ms Fried, who was in Rome, Italy, with their two children at the time, had reportedly become worried for her husband’s safety when he fell out of his regular phone call routine.

The chef’s cause of death will be determined by an autopsy, and Victoria Police have confirmed the 46-year-old’s death is “not being treated as suspicious”.

There was no drug paraphernalia located in the hotel room and police believe the father-of-four died of natural causes, according to the Daily Mail.

Jock Zonfrillo (Pictured with wife, Lauren) had reportedly been ‘repeatedly’ checked on before his death. Picture: jockzonfrillo/facebook

The hotel room where Zonfrillo was found dead, which offers rooms for $650 a night, backed onto the rental home the chef had lived in with his family since 2020.

Zagame’s House management has repeatedly denied the MasterChef judge died at their hotel, despite numerous reports confirming police were called to the building.

Local business owners said they witnessed police vehicles arriving at the hotel in the early hours of Monday.

Zonfrillo, his wife and their two young kids had reportedly packed their bags and moved to Rome just three weeks before his death.

Their home was placed back on the rental market for $3000 a week in April.

Carlton resident Stuart Ayer said: “He left about three weeks ago. Obviously he’s come back and who knows what happened”.

Zonfrillo’s family announced the MasterChef judge’s death in a statement on Monday afternoon.

“With completely shattered hearts and without knowing how we can possibly move through life without him, we are devastated to share that Jock passed away yesterday,” his family said in a statement.

The house where until three weeks ago Zonfrillo had been living. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Geraghty

“So many words can describe him, so many stories can be told, but at this time we’re too overwhelmed to put them into words.

“For those who crossed his path, became his mate, or were lucky enough to be his family, keep this proud Scot in your hearts when you have your next whisky.

“We implore you to please let us grieve privately as we find a way to navigate through this and find space on the other side to celebrate our irreplaceable husband, father, brother, son and friend.”

The popular TV personality had flown back to Australia for the launch of the 15th season of the competition cooking show, where he was a judge.

Zonfrillo was scheduled to take part in a number of media interviews both ahead of and following the first episode, which was due to air on Monday night.

One of these interviews involved the father-of-four appearing as a guest on Channel 10’s The Project in the evening of his death.

He had battled with a crippling addiction to heroin which had taken hold of his life by the time he was 15.

After getting clean, he followed a successful career path and joined the Channel 10 program in 2019 for the 2020 season alongside Melissa Leong and Andy Allen.

The series was pulled from broadcast for this week following the news of his death.