Meghan Markle has been officially announced as a host for the upcoming series of Junior MasterChef Australia, saying she “can’t wait” to return to the programme after featuring as a guest judge on MasterChef Australia in the coming months.
The Duchess of Sussex said in a statement: “I had an incredible time with the whole team at MasterChef this past April, so when they approached me to come back and work with this young group of talent, it was an easy yes. I love cooking with my own kids, so seeing what these young stars create in the kitchen is going to be a lot of fun. I can’t wait to see what they cook up.”
Announcement and co-host
Meghan’s return to Australian TV was announced by Paramount Australia on Tuesday, October 27, which said the programme will air next year on Network Ten. She will host alongside Australian chef and TV presenter Poh Ling Yeow.
Meghan, 45, appeared as a guest judge on the 18th season of MasterChef Australia, where contestants were challenged to transform a staple ingredient into a dish “fit for a duchess”. Paramount said her appearance drew the programme’s largest Sunday audience since 2023.
Filming plans and family
A statement from the company said: “With Poh’s culinary expertise and Meghan’s enthusiasm for cooking and nurturing young talent, Junior MasterChef Australia promises to serve up plenty of inspiration as the next generation of Australian cooks steps into the kitchen.”
Meghan is set to be based Down Under for the duration of filming, which is likely to take place over weeks in early to mid-2027, Australian outlet News.com.au said. She may even be visited by her husband the Duke of Sussex and their children Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, though no decision has yet been made, an insider told the publication. Production for the show is expected to take place in Melbourne.
Background and next steps
Harry and Meghan set up home back in England in August, six years after quitting the working monarchy for a new life in Montecito, California. Earlier this month, a source told The Telegraph that Meghan is “reading a lot of scripts”, and will focus on her family, lifestyle brand and rebooting her acting career rather than pseudo-royal visits. They added that if Meghan had time left, she would do “some charity work”, adding “she’s not a working royal” but a full-time mother and entrepreneur.
There had been speculation over Meghan’s next move, including reports the former Suits star was in talks for a role in Netflix’s The Gentlemen.
