MASTERCHEF FEUD
NO-ONE SAW COMING
“POH AND HAYDEN ARE NOT HAPPY WITH THE WAY MELISSA TREATS THE CREW”
THE MOMENT POH AND HAYDEN SNAPPED!
It’s being touted as the most successful comeback show in Australian reality TV history, with a surprising ratings win despite Network 10 dumping popular Masterchef hosts Matt Preston, Gary Mehigan and George Calombaris after a rumoured pay war.
And while the initial ratings victory is no doubt a relief for the TV bosses who made the bombshell announcement last year that all three long-serving judges would be replaced by the relatively unknown Jock Zonfrillo, Andy Allen and Melissa Leong, New Idea can exclusively reveal that behind the scenes, tensions have been brewing.
“Don’t be fooled by the calm and collected judges and the smiling and supportive contestants,” says our well placed spy. “It’s up there with Married at First Sight for jaw-dropping antics.”
In what’s gearing up to be Australian television’s biggest cover-up, producers have been working around the clock to carefully edit the cooking show, ensuring that viewers and media alike are kept in the dark about what’s really happening.
In fact, according to the well-placed insider, much of the drama has stemmed directly from new judge Melissa Leong. While Melissa is certainly qualified for the role, having spent years as a food writer, consultant, TV and radio presenter and cookbook editor, our spy says that her “ego is out of control”.
“She is not popular with producers, crew or contestants,” the source claims. “Network 10 are locked in with her, but they regret giving her the first Masterchef female judge role, which she is milking for all it is worth.”
It’s alleged her unreasonable requests and “diva-like behaviour” have alienated her from everyone on set.
Unlike her down-to-earth co-judges, the source claims that Melissa is treating this job purely as a way of growing her profile and promoting her business.
Adding further fuel to the fire, Melissa recently took to Instagram to boast about a diamond signet ring she was gifted from a friend “as a way to mark this big step in my career”.
Meanwhile, images have emerged of what appears to show Melissa having a heated exchange on-set with her fellow judges.
“Jock and Andy try not to engage with her when cameras aren’t rolling,” the source says.“that isn’t hard as she spends most of her time in her dressing room working on her blog and social media, which frustrates producers who just want her to focus on the task she’s been paid to do.
While Melissa has overlapped with several of the show’s contestants on the food industry circuit over the years, our insider claims that even old friends have stopped trying.
“Poh [Ling Yeow] and Hayden [Quinn] are not happy with the way she treats the crew,” says the spy.
“[They] refuse to talk to her until they have to for the cameras.”
While Melissa is wellpractised at putting on a good show, producers are understandably concerned that the palpable tension lurking behind the scenes could be the undoing of Masterchef this year.