Matt Tebbutt has addressed reports he has been dropped as a presenter on MasterChef: The Professionals after appearing on just one series. The Saturday Kitchen host, 52, joined the BBC cooking competition for its 18th series, stepping in after Gregg Wallace’s departure and presenting alongside judges Marcus Wareing and Monica Galetti.
Reports on Tuesday suggested Tebbutt would not return for the next instalment, with producers deciding the programme worked better with two hosts rather than three. An insider said Tebbutt’s exit was not linked to any issues with his performance and that he could still appear as a guest in the future.
Responding to the reports, Tebbutt took to Instagram to clarify he was only ever signed up to present one series. “A lot of lovely people have contacted me about not doing the next series of MasterChef: The Professionals,” he wrote. “I was only ever doing one series and I loved judging on it and will continue working with MasterChef.”
A BBC spokesperson said: “No decisions have been made yet about the presenting line up for the future series of MasterChef. We won't comment on speculation.”
Tebbutt made his debut on the programme earlier this year, with viewers largely welcoming his arrival. He had spoken enthusiastically about his experience filming alongside Wareing and Galetti, saying: “It's been a joy. I've loved every minute and these two next to me have been so supportive.”
