Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, to Join Junior MasterChef Australia in 2027

Melbourne: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, will return to Australian television next year as part of Junior MasterChef Australia, Network 10’s cooking competition for children, which is coming back after a six-year break.

Meghan will appear alongside longtime MasterChef Australia host Poh Ling Yeow. Filming is scheduled to take place over several weeks at the MasterChef Australia kitchen in Melbourne in early to mid-2027.

In a statement, the Duchess described the invitation to work with the young contestants as “an easy yes.” She said she had a wonderful experience on the program earlier this year and was looking forward to seeing what the young cooks would create.

Poh Ling Yeow welcomed the announcement. She said she had enjoyed filming with Meghan earlier this year and that working together again would be a real treat.

Return to the MasterChef Kitchen

The announcement follows Meghan’s appearance as a guest judge on the eighteenth season of MasterChef Australia, where she judged an immunity challenge. The episode was filmed in April during a four-day visit to Melbourne, Canberra, and Sydney with her husband, Prince Harry, the couple’s first trip to Australia since 2018. Prince Harry surprised her during filming with a video call to the judges and contestants. The episode was broadcast in July as part of the season premiere.

The Duchess has a long-standing interest in food and cooking. She appeared as a guest judge on the American children’s cooking show Chopped Junior in 2016. Last year, she hosted her own Netflix series, With Love, Meghan, which featured well-known chefs including David Chang, Roy Choi, Alice Waters, and José Andrés.

Meghan first rose to international fame as Rachel Zane in the US legal drama Suits.

Junior MasterChef Australia, a spin-off of MasterChef Australia, first aired in 2010 and features young home cooks. The program was revived in 2020 after a nine-year absence and will now return in 2027.

Meghan is not the first member of the British royal family to appear on the MasterChef Australia franchise. King Charles III made a surprise appearance on the main show in 2018 during a visit to Australia as Prince of Wales.