MasterChef Australia finalist says watching the series is ‘really hard’ after death of Jock Zonfrillo – with the late chef’s final ever episode set to air
Jock Zonfrillo’s final every episode of MasterChef Australia will air this Sunday.
And it’s been difficult viewing the season back for some of the show’s contestants after the chef’s untimely death.
Cook Brent Draper says that he has struggled to view new episodes as he and other stars on the show grapple with the loss.
‘It’s taken a bit to adjust to that but I don’t think it’s really sunk in yet’ he tells the Daily Telegraph.
‘Jock loved MasterChef, that was his last legacy and I think that this has been a very special season because it’s the last time we’ll get to see him do what he did best, outside of being a husband to Loz and a dad to the kids.’
Jock Zonfrillo’s final every episode of MasterChef Australia will air this Sunday. And it’s been difficult viewing the season back for some of the show’s contestants after the chef’s untimely death. Jock is pictured
The final MasterChef Australia episode with Jock Zonfrillo is set to air on Channel Ten on Sunday, July 16.
The celebrity chef was found dead in his hotel room in Melbourne on May 1, and was laid to rest at an intimate funeral in Sydney.
The episode, which will see Draper and Rhiannon Anderson compete to win the 2023 title, will mark the last episode filmed before Jock’s death.
Ten delayed the launch of the cooking show’s latest series by a week, but it aired in May with the support of Jock’s family.
The network is currently on the hunt for a new celebrity judge for the 2024 season to replace Jock.
Cook Brent Draper (pictured) says that he has struggled to view new episodes as he and other stars on the show grapple with the loss. ‘It’s taken a bit to adjust to that but I don’t think it’s really sunk in yet’ he tells the Daily Telegraph
The final MasterChef Australia episode with Jock Zonfrillo is set to air on Channel Ten on Sunday, July 16
‘International names such as Jamie Oliver, Nigella Lawson and Shannon Bennett have all been thrown around,’ an insider told Woman’s Day last week.
However, the source added these culinary experts all have hectic schedules so booking them for the competitive cooking show was currently ‘a pipe dream’.
The network is also reported to be considering bringing back ‘heritage’ names to the series, such as original judges George Calombaris and Gary Mehigan, to attract older viewers.
Jock died in his hotel room at Zagame’s House on Lygon Street in Carlton, Melbourne on April 30 and was found by police at about 2am on Monday, May 1 – the same day Channel Ten was meant to premiere the fifteenth season of MasterChef Australia.
He is survived by his third wife Lauren, and his four children: grown-up daughters Ava and Sophia from his first two marriages and Alfie and Isla with Lauren.
The media personality was scheduled for several publicity engagements for season 15 of MasterChef when he died suddenly.
The episode, which will see Draper and Rhiannon Anderson compete to win the 2023 title, will mark the last episode filmed before the death of Jock. Pictured judges Melissa Leong, Jock and Andy Allen
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