Poh’s shock confession about MasterChef judging role

Poh Ling Yeow is about to return to MasterChef for her second season as a judge, but she openly admits she’s struggling with her role.

MasterChef judge Poh Ling Yeow has made a surprising confession about her role on the show.

Speaking to news.com.au’s podcast, From the Newsroom, Poh revealed that she prefers being a contestant on the Channel 10 reality show more than being a judge.

“I don’t want to sound ungrateful, but I love the chaos (of being a contestant) and there’s nothing quite as exhilarating as just having days on end where you do not know what’s going to happen,” she said about her time as a MasterChef competitor in 2009 and 2020.

“Even when I’m standing … at the top of the room (as a judge), I sometimes fantasise about being a contestant again,” Poh added.

“I constantly run through the challenges that I have just delivered and think about what I would do in that situation. That’s how much I miss and love it.”

Appearing on MasterChef this year are Andy Allen, Poh Ling Yeow, Gordon Ramsay, Sofia Levin and Jean-Christophe Novelli. Picture: Ten

Poh joined the judging panel last year alongside newcomers Jean-Christophe Novelli and Sofia Levin, as well as existing judge Andy Allen.

The four judges will return to screens on Monday night for the premiere of MasterChef Australia: Back To Win, which will see 24 past contestants return for another shot at glory.

Speaking to news.com.au, Poh admitted that she’s still struggling to get her head around the judging role.

“I’m still feeling so in the deep end, to be honest,” she said. “It is so difficult. I knew it was going to be hard, but I didn’t quite realise just how hard it was gonna be.”

“It is a little bit related to me feeling self-conscious, and I don’t really like to use the words ‘impostor syndrome,’ it’s more that … I feel like I don’t know that much,” she said.

Despite Poh’s self doubts, viewers raved about her judging performance in last year’s season.

Comments on social media included, “Poh is the best thing to come out of MasterChef in Australia”, and “Sofia and Poh are such a breath of fresh air – Bringing some fun and humour to the #masterchefau kitchen this season”, as well as “Poh really grew as a judge and was the complete star of the show”.

Poh is back as a MasterChef judge this year.

Poh was runner-up on MasterChef season one.

While it’s undeniable there was a lot of attention on the new line-up of judges in last year’s season, this year it’s all about the returning contestants.

Fan favourites Andre Ursini, Callum Hann, Laura Sharrad and Steph de Sousa are just some of the big names having another crack at the title.

It’s a line-up that Poh told news.com.au she found a little daunting.

“I was kind of ready to start with fresh confidence this year, and then I was like, ‘oh my god, it’s Back to Win!’ and I was like a little turtle in a shell again because I have to judge all these people that are my peers,” she laughed.

Listen to the From the Newsroom podcast to hear Poh talk about who she’d like to win this season, plus what Jamie Oliver was really like behind the scenes in 2024.

MasterChef Australia: Back To Win kicks off on Monday, April 28 at 7.30pm on Ten

Originally published as Poh’s shock confession about MasterChef judging role