New MasterChef Australia judges get very mixed reviews after departure of Melissa Leong and death of Jock Zonfrillo: ‘I won’t be watching’

The new MasterChef Australia judges faced audiences on Monday night. 

Andy Allen has returned as judge alongside some new faces in a panel shake-up.

He is joined by French celebrity chef Jean-Christophe Novelli, Melbourne-based food critic Sofia Levin, and MasterChef season one runner-up Poh Ling Yeow.

They replace outgoing judge Melissa Leong and Jock Zonfrillo, who tragically died last year. 

And the new line up received mixed reactions on social media, with many X users sharing their thoughts.

‘Feels weird without Mel and Jock but looking forward to these new judges’ said one, while another added, ‘I miss Jock’. 

‘Ehhh the screaming and dramatic laughing is already putting me off these new judges’ one more wrote. 

‘Okay if they bring in any more judges there will be more of them than the contestants’ said someone else. 

‘Do contestants actually know these new judges except for Poh or are they faking because I’ve never heard of them before’ someone else wrote. 

And the new line up received mixed reactions on social media, with many X users sharing their thoughts

‘I wonder how many of those contestants are wildly cheering for 1-2 of these judges when they have no idea who they are hahaha’ yet another said. 

‘Feels weird without Mel and Jock but looking forward to these new judges’ one commented. 

‘I won’t be watching… mostly… maybe I might turn it over once in a while… I do love Poh… she’s my favourite ever contestant from that show’ yet another said. 

Others were delighted with the new lineup, with one saying, ‘Sofia filing the big shoes left by Mel’.

Another agreed: ‘Living for Poh’s chaotic energy. So happy she’s back on my screen!’

They replace outgoing judge Melissa Leong and Jock Zonfrillo, who tragically died last year. Pictured