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Julie Goodwin: “I had lost my joy”

MasterChef OG winner Julie Goodwin revealed how the invitation to return to the 10 kitchen was like the universe beckoning.

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MasterChef Australia‘s original winner Julie Goodwin last night opened up about recent difficult years in which she doubted her skills and purpose.

“I’ve been able to publish six cookbooks, I’ve had lots of fun doing television programs. Then I moved into radio. I spent four years on a breakfast show along with my cooking school, which I really love as well,” she revealed.

“But I guess the past 13 years hasn’t all been amazing highs. There have been some struggles as well. I’ve really had to do some serious assessment of my mental health and wellbeing. I had reached a point in my life where I had lost my joy.”

“And I had to give up my job on the radio. I couldn’t do that anymore. And I actually couldn’t set foot in my kitchen. I think maybe I have done everything that I was here to do. And I have achieved everything that’s possible for me to achieve.

“So this for me is an opportunity just to see if there is another chapter, you know. If there’s more,’ said Julie with tears in her eyes.”

Last night she felt validated, winning immunity from Sunday’s first elimination.

“When the phone call came to do this, I didn’t know if I could,” she explained, through tears. “It’s been a tough couple of years, and I didn’t know if I was able to come back into this environment. My experience last time was that I fell over again and again, and I think I got to the end because every time I fell down I got back up.

“The phone call to come here was the universe saying ‘It’s time to get back up.’

“To stand here and cook a dish and have it be deemed worthy …maybe I’m not done. Maybe there’s more for me.”

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5 Responses

  2. I was bawling with love for her. I’m so glad MasterChef included this discussion as there are so many people watching who have battled anxiety. I really hope she continues to thrive and is able to take the inevitable occasional disappointing performance in any upcoming challenges with strength and resilience.
    What I would like to say to Julie is that if you look at all of the winners and finalists from all the seasons, they each show versatility and an ability to learn new skills, but at the core, each one has been defined by their uniqueness and what they brought to the table in the first place. She was a worthy winner in season one and her legacy is deserved.

  3. After reading about some of Julie’s recent struggles via her Facebook page I was surprised to see her returning to the MasterChef kitchen but I’m so glad she’s thriving.

    Wish Julie all the best.

  5. Not a dry eye in the house last night. What a beautiful moment that MasterChef Australia does so well. As I was living overseas at the time I never got to see the original series so it is great to see Julie in the MC kitchen

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