MasterChef grand final ratings flop as judges depart

Hours after its three hosts were axed, MasterChef had its lowest-ever grand final TV ratings.

Final honours: MasterChef Australia winner Larissa Takchi, 22, with axed judges, from left, George Calombaris, Matt Preston and Gary Mehigan. Picture: Channel 10.

It was the last chance to see Matt Preston, Gary Mehigan and George Calombaris on MasterChef Australia, but last night’s grand final didn’t draw the big audiences Network Ten might have hoped for.

Hours after Ten announced hosts Preston, Mehigan and Calombaris would not return to the show next year due to a failure to meet “satisfactory” salary expectations, the network was hit its lowest grand final audience in MasterChef’s 11-year-history, failing to crack more than one million metropolitan viewers.

The final episode saw 831,000 metropolitan viewers tune in to watch 22-year-old Larissa Takchi become the youngest ever winner, according to OzTAM’s overnight figures.

That was down from last year’s finale audience of 1.126 million.

Just four years ago, MasterChef Australia’s grand final episode attracted 1.840 million metro viewers.

MasterChef Australia’s audience climbed to 992,000 as Larissa Takchi was announced winner, however that figure was also significantly down from last year. In the moment when Ten announced last year’s winner, Sashi Cheliah, the program drew an audience of 1.309 million.

The episode also did not attract an audience as big as Nine’s Ninja Warrior — 887,000 — but did beat Seven’s House Rules, which drew 730,000 viewers.

When including regional figures, MasterChef Australia did pull more than one million viewers.

Based on OzTAM’s data, the 2019 season had an average audience of 706,000 across the five capital cities and a national audience of 932,000.

Network 10 chief content officer, Beverley McGarvey, said she was pleased with the season’s results.

“Again this year, the series delivered strong television audience numbers for 10, including record video on-demand viewing,” Ms McGarvey said.

The series marks the end of an era for Ten, who have worked with the three hosts since the show began. Ten will go ahead with its 12th season next year, but has not yet announced the hosts’ replacements.

Ten’s announcement came amid a wages scandal involving Calombaris and his private restaurant empire, however the network is denying it is the reason for failed contractual negotiations.

The trio were believed to be earning more than $1m each, excluding sponsorship deals and while the final salary offer by Ten was understood to have been significant, it wasn’t enough.

In three separate social media posts last night, the hosts thanked fans and the MasterChef team for the last 11 years, all giving different reasons for their failed contract negotiations.

“It was never about the money and never will be about the money. We couldn’t agree on the terms of the new contract for 2020 and season 12,” wrote Mehigan. “The opportunity to work with Matt and George has been a blessing and something I cherish. Working together will continue to be the most important thing for us … the three musketeers …”

“We were really keen to continue but we were unable to agree to all terms for the new contract,” Preston wrote in a separate post.

“We were close to signing a new contract for season 12 however the dates just didn’t align,” Calombaris said. “Channel Ten, thank you for providing us the platform to change the landscape of food worldwide. To the next 3 judges and mentors, we wish you loads of success.”