Andy Allen has been a pillar of MasterChef Australia ever since winning the competition in 2012, but rumours have recently begun circulating that he could be stepping away from his role as a judge.
An insider told Woman’s Day that the veteran judge “could soon hang up his apron for good.” They added that as the only original judge remaining from the 2020 judge revamp, Andy reportedly “found it hard to keep the kitchen fires burning,” since Melissa Leong left the series and Jock Zonfrillo passed away in 2023.
However, luckily for fans, Channel 10 have shutdown the claims that Andy is leaving, and confirmed that he’s staying put as a judge.
“We love our MasterChef judges and so do the audience. Andy is essential to the show and we cannot imagine MasterChef without him,” a spokesperson for the network told Chattr.
Reports claimed that Declan was in the running to replace Andy Allen as a judge
Declan quickly became a fan favourite in 2023 for his quirky personality and surviving 13 pressure tests before returning to the kitchen in 2025 for Back To Win. Away from the show, he made headlines for his relationship with fellow MasterChef alum Sarah Todd, with whom he welcomed twin girls in 2024.
With all this in mind, the publication said that he could be the sort of judge to breathe new life into the show.
“Nothing’s set in stone just yet – but Declan is made for TV, and the whispers are louder than a pressure test countdown,” an insider told Woman’s Day. “He’s got the cooking credentials, the personality, the backstory, and let’s be honest – the fan base. Declan’s just waiting for someone to hand him the tasting spoon and make it official.”
Declan’s partner Sarah Todd is set to appear as a guest judge on the 2026 season, so could this be laying the groundwork for Declan’s arrival? Apparently, Declan is ‘the perfect mix of talent and larrikin energy’ the show craves, Woman’s Day reports.
Andy Allen addresses being the ‘leader’ of MasterChef judges
In a new interview, Andy addressed working with Poh Ling Yeow, Sofia Levin and Jean-Christophe Novelli for their first season together. He told WHO that he didn’t think the judges ‘clicked’ when they first joined forces, as he felt he had to take on a ‘leader’ role between the four.
“When it was Poh, Jean Christophe and Sofia’s first year, I’d kind of been doing it for a while, so there was that natural kind of leadership role that I stepped into, but it’s been so lovely this year,” he said.
“Everything just feels like it’s clicked more than ever with the four of us and it feels like there’s no need for a leader anymore. Everyone’s found out their niche, found out what they’re good at and really honed in on that, which has been really lovely to witness.”
Why did Melissa Leong leave MasterChef Australia?
In late 2023, Network 10 announced a major shake-up to the MasterChef Australia judging panel, confirming that Melissa Leong would step away from the main series after four years. While her exit sparked confusion among fans – as she was a favourite – the official reason provided by the network and Leong herself focused on the expansion of the franchise and conflicting production schedules.
Leong transitioned from the flagship show to lead the spin-off series, Dessert Masters, alongside pastry chef Amaury Guichon. Network 10 explained that because the two shows air back-to-back, each required its own hosting team.
Addressing the speculation surrounding her departure, Leong took to Instagram to clarify her stance: “I get that there is going to be a bit of confusion and chaos about the ‘why’ of it all right now,” she said.
“This is a shift I embrace with joy. One that allows everyone involved to expand.” She described her time on the main show as a “great gift” but emphasised her desire to evolve. “The changing of the guard is one I always planned to embrace, and I’m so glad to do that, on my terms,” she said.
MasterChef Australia airs Sunday 7pm and Monday and Tuesday at 7.30pm on Channel 10 and 10Play.
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