Fans are concerned that one of the judges on MasterChef Australia is going to leave the show for good after signing on to an international show.
Michelin star chef and judge Jean-Christophe Novelli is going to host The Heat, alongside TV personality Olivia Attwood Dack. It is being produced by Twofour, which is part of ITV Studios.
The new series is due to air in 2026.
“Think you can handle The Heat? Ten young chefs. One scorching summer,” the announcement read on Instagram. “Barcelona’s hottest new kitchen is calling – and they’re living, working and competing under one roof.”
The post continued that it was “no ordinary cooking show”, with “high stakes, high drama and seriously high temperatures”.
“From post-shift parties to power plays in the kitchen, every episode turns up the pressure. Promotions, sackings, and shocking twists.”
Is Jean-Christophe Novelli leaving MasterChef?
While some fans commented with excitement, others worried about what this meant for his gig on MasterChef.
“You better not be leaving the MasterChef kitchen chef?!?” one wrote.
But another said he deserved better.
“I’m glad if you’re leaving MasterChef because there’s nothing great about the show right now, apart from you, and frankly, you deserve better,” they said.
This isn’t the first time that fans have worried about the judge’s appearance on the show.
Throughout the season, they have complained about his lack of screen time.
“Is it just me, or is there very little Jean-Christophe this season?” someone on Reddit wrote. “They barely show him, and his comments are kept really brief as well.”
“Yes! I loved his over-the-top enthusiasm last season! We’ve seen far too little of that this time around ?” another added.
At the time of publication, Jean-Christophe has not commented on the new gig.
