Channel Ten has revealed the timeline of hiring Jock Zonfrillo‘s replacement as they begin working on the new season of MasterChef Australia.
On June 4, a spokesperson told The Herald Sun that Ten is already casting a fresh batch of chefs for the show’s 16th season.
“Contestant casting will commence this week to find the next crop of Australia’s best home cooks for season 16 of MasterChef Australia,” the statement read.
Ten are also in the process of replacing Jock, but they won’t make a decision until “later this year.”
Rumours are circling that Ten has already begun casting replacement judges
Whilst Ten have stated that they haven’t started casting replacement judges, rumours have been swirling that this isn’t exactly true.
One source told an outlet that casting has been a “sombre process” as everyone on production is still grieving the Scottish restauranteur.
However, a production insider said that the decision will be based on who gets along best with judges Melissa Leong and Andy Allen.
Who’s rumoured to replace Jock Zonfrillo?
According to reports, the replacement judge is rumoured to be a very “well-known chef“.
“That will be the main thing because it was something that earned Jock the position originally,” one insider said.
“When Jock was cast he was a dark horse. He was a renegade in the industry and he wasn’t what many expected in that role.
“But his chemistry with the others was great. And the new host will need that more than anything.”
Some of the names tipped to take over the judging role include former contestants Hayden Quinn and Dan Churchill, as well as Italian chef Alessandro Pavoni and Vue De Monde’s Hugh Allen.
Seafood expert Josh Niland, author Danielle Alvarez, Shell House director Joel Bickford and Mimi’s head chef Jordan Toft are also potential judges.
This comes after Jock passed away in Melbourne on May 1.
A Victoria Police spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia they discovered Jock’s body “at about 2 am on May 1 after they were called to an address on Lygon Street in Carlton for a welfare check”.
His death was not treated as suspicious.
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