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MasterChef Australia judges out for 2020

Updated: 10 fails to reach agreement but George, Gary & Matt claim it was never about the money.

10 has confirmed all three MasterChef Australia judges will not be returning in 2020, after failing to reach contract arrangements.

The shock announcement comes just hours before the 2019 grand final, now set to serve as their swan song.

It also follows a string of headlines and  social media posts calling for the network to dump George Calombaris over staff underpayments by MAdE Establishment. Only last week the network was backing it’s judge of 11 seasons.

Network 10 chief executive officer Paul Anderson said: “Despite months of negotiation, 10 has not been able to reach a commercial agreement that was satisfactory to Matt, Gary and George.

“Across 11 sensational seasons, MasterChef Australia has established itself as one of the most popular and respected cooking television series around the world. For more than a decade, the iconic series has shaped and driven the Australian public’s passion for food and cooking, delivered iconic television moments, and made the culinary dreams of everyday home cooks come true.

“We would like to thank Gary, George and Matt for their contribution over the past 11 years,” he said.

MasterChef Australia has always been about ordinary Australians doing extraordinary things for the love of food and we believe it is very important to continue that ethos.

“Australia is full of remarkable cooking talent and we can’t wait to introduce another group – and the next generation of exceptional judges – in season 12 of MasterChef Australia next year.”

Who Magazine claims Maggie Beer, Curtis Stone, and Poh Ling Yeow will replace the trio.

Updated:

On Instagram Matt Preston said:

Thank you so very much for supporting @masterchefau over the last 11 years. We have loved every single moment.

It is however with a heavy heart that I can confirm that season 11 was our last.
We were really keen to continue but we were unable to agree to all terms for the new contract.

We have enjoyed 11 wonderful years on Masterchef Australia with Network Ten, and I want to take this opportunity to thank Ten for this amazing opportunity and for Network Ten’s backing of this very special show.

We have met some beautiful people, discovered and guided some of the brightest up-and-comers in the Australian food scene, worked with the best chefs in the world in front of the camera, and with the TV industry’s finest professionals behind the scenes.

And of course, we three judges have formed a lifelong friendship that will live on far beyond the show.

I want to take this opportunity to thank you and everyone who has shared our amazing journey with us – especially all those fantastic contestants.

I look forward to sharing many more adventures with you in the future.
And finally I wish the new judges all the best with the show that we love so much.

Thank you all.

I don’t want to take any gloss off tonight’s well deserved winner so I will not be making any further comment.

Love Matt.

Gary Mehigan said:

To all of our fans ‘thank you’ To the team that makes MasterChef ‘thank you’ and to all of the contestants that we know and love, we are all part of a very exclusive club and what a journey what an experience. To explain: ‘It was time to move on, have more free time to explore our own creativity’ It was never about the money and never will be about the money. We couldn’t agree on the term of the new contract for 2020 and season 12. Something we felt very strongly about. 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…….?

George Calombaris said:

@masterchefau geez you have warmed our hearts, filled our stomachs and sizzled our souls.
To the great contestants of the past 11 years, you ought to be proud.
To the incredible @masterchefau team that works so hard to make the best cooking show on earth, we salute you.
To our families, friends and teams who have supported us, you freakin’ rock.
We were close to signing a new contract for season 12 however the dates just didn’t align. 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.
To my brothers @mattscravat and @garymehigan: I love you and thank you. Time to take a deep breath and be thankful.
With love
GC ? xxx

80 Responses

  1. Hopefully they’ll take the opportunity to get some female judges on the show. No more showing favouritism to the young blondes. The judges have lost some of their popularity in recent years. People on social media have been crying for them to be replaced for the last couple of years, sick of the blatant favouritism. Just hope we don’t start changing judges every couple of years now. Twitter won’t be the same without people making funny comments about George’s tweezers & Matt’s colourful suits.

  2. “We are part of an exclusive club.” That’s the problem, elitism. It’s the reason why ratings for the show have been so poor and why Australian Ninja Warrior has been blitzing them.

    When you demand more money you do so from a position of strength. You have improved things in your workplace so much that you are indispensable and the boss couldn’t bare to lose you. But the Masterchef judges have done the opposite and the show has steadily declined.

    I really don’t know what TEN can do at this point. Ninja Warrior will be back next year and Masterchef – an old program developed at the same time as Australian Idol – will have to start from scratch with a whole new panel of judges.

    I don’t think TEN will bother. Maybe it is time for something new because it is clear that cooking shows are out of fashion at the moment. MKR, Masterchef… Both failed against shows on…

  3. Too bad the Chefs got greedy. They were never going to get a pay rise while George was creating such negative press.
    Moving forward I don’t think the show is dead. Every time they announced Maggie Beer was a guest judge I never missed any of those episodes so Ten can start there and see what she’s up to next year as permanent judge. No brainer that Poh has to be top of the list too. Julie Goodwin is always good value. Bring back the winner from each series as a guest judge for a week. The possibilities are endless. Heston is always interesting to watch. Thank god I won’t have to watch George shovel another plate of food into his mouth again.

  4. Personally I think the program has long since peaked.
    I enjoy it but it’s too nice for tv and there a few real surprises now.
    The only real way to increase its ratings would be to cast the contestants to be more confrontational rather than there cooking abilities.
    I think the 3 judges were right to stick to their principles and leave whilst the show still has credibility
    $0.02

  5. I think Clayton J Donovan would make a perfect judge…. would be nice to see the world’s first and only Indigenous hatted chef on board 🙂

  6. I am not really surprised by this news. When Gary was on HYBPA he was talking about how they have been doing the show for 10 years and they are getting older so who knows if they can keep going. I felt like he was strongly hinting that they weren’t coming back. The show is as much about the contestants as the judges so the show if done right should still work so lets hope Ten don’t screw up the transition so Masterchef Australia can continue.

  7. Not surprised George is gone. Surprising that Matt and Gary are going as well. I think it’s probably better to replace the whole line up than just one person anyway. If 10 doesn’t play their cards right with replacing these three then I’m not sure how well the show is gonna go after this season…

  8. According to other news articles, they were asking for an increase of more than 40% for salaries over $1 million each.

    I’d have told them to go take a jump, too. Not sorry to see George go, especially.

  9. MasterChef Australia will always be one of Australia’s best reality programs and It’s been a program that the whole family can enjoy. Thank you Gary, George and Matt for Hosting and Judging MasterChef Australia for 11 Seasons.

    1. Well said, with all the news around George of late, it’s easy to forget the success of the show for such a long time and Gary, George and Matt are a big part of that success. I would also like to thank the 3 of them for their hosting over the years and wish them all the best for the future.

  10. I did read that if one wanted out they would all go. But gee over money, surely they are getting well paid and I do find it ironic that George is quitting over money.

    I will miss Matt on the show and his crazy outfits, George not as much. I won’t miss his eating habits or his tweezers. Gary I will also miss. I guess they can go back to focusing on there restaurants.

    I agree Poh would be a great choice. Gee I doubt it could happen but I’d love to see Curtis on it.
    Wow can’t believe tonight will be the last time we see them together.

  11. I can’t remember the last time I was so shocked and upset by a TVT article. I’m absolutely floored! If MasterChef had changed in and out judges over the seasons like the US version has then it could continue but the brand is so strong with Matt, George and Gary I think it can only suffer the same fate as Spicks And Specks 2.0 being a pale imitation. My biggest hope if it is to continue is that it retains the same spirit and positivity and doesn’t ‘tabloid’ itself like MKR did in its second horrible season.

  12. Network 10 just destroyed MasterChef because they are terrified mice!
    My guess is they attempted to sack George in response to the 20,000ish sigs from the social media outrage machine baying for his blood (and possible Coles had a hand in it too).
    Matt and Gary stood by him as is totally predictable.
    Crazy thing is core MC fans and the “Quiet Australians” who watch the show really don’t give a fig about George’s issues and by next May, no one else will either!
    That trio are MasterChef Australia.
    The network will watch it wither in 2020 and it deserves to… the real story will unfold soon.

        1. Or that is the real story. Even if it’s not, George deserved to lose his role on MasterChef. There needs to be consequences for this kind of wage theft – a $200,000 fee for a man worth much more is not a consequence.

    1. It wasn’t actually ch 10, it was the big wigs at CBS that refused their pay rise. And no people would not have forgotten by net year. This first came about in 2017 & people on twitter are still commenting on it.

    2. Reframing this – George needed to be sacked, the other two tried to save him by threatening to walk as well, Channel 10 showed great smarts by calling their bluff. Well done, 10. Gary is right, it was never about the money.

  13. I think it was if one goes they all go. But still sad, end of an era.
    Personally I think Poh will move up to judge next year, and I can see them bringing in Curtis Stone if they can stump up the $. One of the judges would have to be international you would think

  14. I love MC and have since its first season, but am not sorry to see George go. His number has been up for some time.
    At least I won’t have to watch the way he uses cutlery any more.
    MC will miss Matt & Gary greatly and I hope it can go forward with new judges.
    Having said that I am absolutely floored by some of the suggestions on here – Ian Hewitson, Billy, Poh & Matt together?
    All three of the current MC judges had serious culinary chops long before they joined the show and to keep it going, they will need new judges with even more recognised culinary chops.
    Iain Hewitson is a charming man, but at 70
    My dream team of judges would be along the lines of Monica Galetti (NZ chef based in London) who is co-host of the UK Masterchef the Professionals with Maggie Beer and a food writer with the knowledge and wit of Jay Rayner,

  15. Wow I would like to see Matt sinclair Maggie beer and ether Gordon ramsey Marco Pierre White or Huey but there’s no chance of Marco or Gordon being a judge the cost would be through the roof Considering how long filming is

    1. Yes & Gordon Ramsay already does the US version. Doubt he would want to uproot himself for another 3 months here after finishing filming that. Plus he would be paid a lot over there. Doubt that we could match it here.

  16. I will definitely tune back in. I work in hospitality so hearing George was ripping off his workers turned me right off. I love the show because it is what it is and stays true to being a cooking show. It’s time for a refresh and only new blood will achieve that.

  17. Masterchef isn’t dead, but Calombaris had to go and using the smokescreen of salary is good enough. I won’t miss the other 2 guys and I’m sure Ten will have no problem finding replacements.

  18. Wow. That is huge news.
    Agree with others that Poh would be a fantastic choice for a refreshed judging lineup. She more accurately reflects the diversity that Masterchef AU has always had in its contestants, but not so much its judges.

  19. Goo on them, I really like they all started together, and they all leave together. What a great run – I say a big congratulations to them on a great achievement and wish them well for what they all do next. It’s been a pleasure watching them over the years. Cool, clam and collected.

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