From serving up critiques on MasterChef Australia and Dessert Masters to competing in epic food challenges on The Amazing Race Australia, Melissa Leong traded in the judge’s chair to be a contestant— and she’s revealed which one she prefers.
Melissa and Leah Wilson placed sixth on The Amazing Race Australia, and were sent packing in Episode 9 after being the last team to hit the mat. In a post-elimination interview with Chattr, Melissa admitted that she prefers judging to competing.
“The shoe is definitely on the other foot with this particular show, isn’t it? I’m very comfortable in Beau’s position, you know, being standing there on the mat, and you know, knowing what’s going on with the challenges and who’s doing what and all of the rest of it,” she explained.
“I can say now that the shoe has been put on the other foot, that I much prefer being in the driver’s seat,” she added.
Melissa explained that while she’d rather be in a position of power on a reality show, stepping into the shoes of a contestant gave her an even deeper appreciation for what they go through.
“But having said that, look, I’ve always had a huge amount of respect for contestants, especially when I’ve been judging on MasterChef, or any of the other shows that I’ve been on, and it just really drives home how much effort and heart must go into it, and I really respect every single contestant that I have ever judged for doing their very, very best, because you have no control over the remains of the day. You don’t know how you’re going to respond, and you have to just be with yourself in it. And that’s a really confronting thing for a lot of people to do, I think.”
Had Melissa been asked to do The Amazing Race before?
Melissa has cemented herself as one of Channel 10’s most well-known faces thanks to her judging stints on MasterChef Australia and Dessert Masters — so her leap into The Amazing Race felt like a natural next step. However, she told Chattr, this season was actually the first time she’d been invited to join the cast.
“This is the first for me. Look, I haven’t been in the television space for a great deal of time, and you know, a big chunk of that was in the pandemic,” she explained.
“So to be, this is an iconic show. It’s renowned around the world, and especially the Australian format is particularly loved. So it was a real honour to be asked to do it. And I mean, of course, you’re going to say you’re going to do it — you’re going to do your best to try and make it happen, aren’t you?”
The celebrated food critic said she didn’t think twice when the opportunity landed in her lap.
“I think when you are offered the proposition of running around the world, doing zany and amazing things in aid of charity. I mean, that’s a pretty compelling thing to be asked to do. So it didn’t require many brain cells to say yes to that one.”
The Amazing Race Australia airs on Sundays at 7pm and Mondays at 7:30pm on Channel 10 and 10Play.
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