Fans of MasterChef: The Professionals have enthusiastically praised new judge Matt Tebbutt, who made his debut on the show during Tuesday night's premiere of its eighteenth season. The Saturday Kitchen star, aged 52, joined fellow chefs and judges Marcus Wareing and Monica Galetti on the culinary contest, stepping in to replace Gregg Wallace.
A Warm Welcome to the MasterChef Family
Kicking off the premiere episode, Marcus Wareing introduced Matt to the programme, stating: 'Good to see you both, new competition, new kitchen and we have a new judge, welcome Matt!' The television presenter responded: 'Thank you very much, great to be here, great to be a part of the MasterChef family', while Marcus humorously warned: 'Strap yourself in Matt, this is going to be a journey.' The trio will also be accompanied by a range of guest judges throughout the initial stage of the competition.
Viewer Reactions: Praise and Critique
Audiences at home were quick to commend Matt Tebbutt's first appearance, taking to social media to brand him 'excellent' and 'a great addition to the kitchen'. Enthusiastic comments included: 'Glad MasterChef The Professionals is back. Matt seems to fit in as the new judge'; 'Matt Tebbutt is fab'; and 'Found Matt Tebbutt to be a breath of fresh air'. Many viewers expressed relief, with one noting: 'How brilliant to see the excellent Matt Tebbutt instead of having to endure the vile shouty sleazy Eggggggggg', a clear reference to his predecessor.
Additional positive feedback highlighted: 'I think Matt Tebbutt will fit in nicely, he's popular with viewers and he knows his craft'; '@matt_tebbutt is a great addition to the kitchen'; and 'Aw yay Matt, I like him and unlike Gregg the t**t he's actually talented'. Others celebrated the revamp, posting: 'Loving new format and judge' and 'Loving the new MasterChef lineup!! It's been needing a revamp for years!' One dedicated fan shared: 'Just binge watched the entire weeks #mastercheftheprofessionals in one sitting. Just absolutely awesome and loved Matt on the show.'
However, while Matt's performance was widely commended, several viewers voiced concerns that having three judges on the show was excessive, declaring: 'Too many judges spoil the MasterChef'. Criticisms on social media included: 'Do they have three judges on this series of #masterchef so they have a spare ? Well, you never know...' and 'Enjoying the new #mastercheftheprofessionals but not really sure what Matt Tebbutt is bringing to the party'.
Further complaints elaborated: 'Why do they have three judges, and why are we watching the other guy giving a running commentary whilst he watches it in another room.' Another viewer referenced the classic adage, stating: 'You know the saying “too many cooks spoil the broth”, that’s what’s going on with #Masterchef tonight. The format didn’t need to change.'
Matt Tebbutt's Enthusiasm for the Role
Speaking about his experience filming the series ahead of the premiere, Matt Tebbutt gushed: 'It's been a joy. I've loved every minute and these two next to me have been so supportive. I've become so invested in the chefs and their progress and how they've changed throughout the series.' He continued: 'The thing that stood out for me was just how invested these chefs are and how much work goes into it for them outside of filming.'
Reflecting on the contestants' dedication, Matt added: 'Their commitment was clear and it was also clear to see how much they changed from week one to week seven - the progression was, was enormous. You could easily think of MasterChef that, yes, it's just a TV show. But for these chefs, it's so much more than that. There's a lot at stake. And they take it very, very seriously. And it's really good to see!'
Background: The Departures of Gregg Wallace and John Torode
Matt Tebbutt joined the show after Gregg Wallace, aged 60, was dismissed following a series of misconduct allegations related to his tenure on the amateur series, MasterChef. Wallace issued an apology, saying he was 'deeply sorry for any distress caused' and that he 'never set out to harm or humiliate' in the wake of an independent investigation which upheld 45 out of 83 allegations against him. In total, 41 individuals lodged complaints.
The review concluded that the 'majority of the substantiated allegations against Gregg related to inappropriate sexual language and humour'. It further noted that 'a smaller number of allegations of other inappropriate language and being in a state of undress were also substantiated', with 'one incident of unwelcome physical contact' also being confirmed. The most recent series of MasterChef: The Professionals, featuring Gregg Wallace, continued to air last year amidst these allegations, though two MasterChef celebrity Christmas specials were subsequently pulled from the BBC's schedule in December 2024.
Meanwhile, Gregg Wallace's MasterChef co-host John Torode was also sacked after two decades on the series over allegations that he used the N-word. The BBC stated that the host's contract would not be renewed after a report found he had employed an 'extremely offensive racist term' during drinks after filming the show. The complaint against John Torode was revealed in the report investigating co-presenter Gregg Wallace's inappropriate behaviour.
John Torode identified himself as an unnamed person in the report who was accused of using 'racist language'. However, the presenter asserted that 'he had absolutely no recollection' of the incident and did 'not believe that it happened'. A witness informed investigators that Torode had apologised immediately, 'was mortified' and 'didn’t use the term as a slur' in 2018.
In an official statement, the BBC clarified: 'This allegation - which involves an extremely offensive racist term being used in the workplace - was investigated and substantiated by the independent investigation led by the law firm Lewis Silkin. The BBC takes this upheld finding extremely seriously. We will not tolerate racist language of any kind and we told Banijay UK, the makers of MasterChef, that action must be taken. John Torode's contract on MasterChef will not be renewed.' Gregg Wallace and John Torode will be replaced as the presenters of the regular MasterChef series by Grace Dent and Anna Haugh.
