Meghan confirmed as co-host of Junior MasterChef Australia

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, will return to the MasterChef Australia kitchen next year, as co-host of the rebooted Junior MasterChef Australia.

The duchess will appear alongside MasterChef Australia judge Poh Ling Yeow in the series, which is expected to take about two to three weeks to film, with production expected to begin in Melbourne once filming on MasterChef Australia has wrapped up around May.

Meghan made her debut in the MasterChef Australia kitchen in April as a guest judge, snagging the cooking competition its highest Sunday ratings since 2023.

“I had an incredible time with the whole team at MasterChef this past April, so when they approached me to come back and work with this young group of talent, it was an easy yes,” said the duchess in a statement. “I love cooking with my own kids, so seeing what these young stars create in the kitchen is going to be a lot of fun. I can’t wait to see what they cook up!”

Network Ten made the announcement on Tuesday morning, the day before their 2027 “upfronts” event, where programming for the next year is revealed.

Yeow said being reunited with the duchess “would be a real treat” after they had a “lovely time” filming earlier this year. Yeow added that she was “thrilled to bits that Junior MasterChef is returning”.

It is the first confirmed TV gig for the duchess since she moved back to the UK with Prince Harry and their two children in September. It had been rumoured that Meghan would return to acting, with a role in the third season of Guy Ritchie’s Netflix thriller The Gentlemen, but that has not been confirmed.

Junior MasterChef Australia, which features children aged between nine and 13, last aired in 2020, when it was hosted by former MasterChef Australia judges Jock Zonfrillo and Melissa Leong, with current MasterChef Australia judge Andy Allen.

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