Melissa Leong

Melissa Leong (born 1982)[2] is an Australian freelance food writer, food critic, television host, radio broadcaster, cookbook editor and marketer.[3] She was a judge on Network 10's MasterChef Australia from 2020 to 2023, alongside Andy Allen and Jock Zonfrillo.

Melissa Leong
Born1982 (age 40–41)
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
NationalityAustralian
Occupations
  • Food writer
  • food critic
  • television presenter
  • cookbook editor
  • radio broadcaster
  • marketer
Television
Spouse
Joe Jones
​
​
(m. 2017; sep. 2020)​
[1]

Early life

Leong was born in 1982 in Sydney.[4][5] Her parents emigrated to Australia from Singapore.[6]

Career

She co-hosted The Chefs' Line with chefs Dan Hong and Mark Olive for two seasons in 2017, and 2018.[7]

In October 2019, it was announced that Leong would be joining Network 10's cooking competition show MasterChef Australia, as a new judge alongside Jock Zonfrillo and Andy Allen, after former judges Matt Preston, Gary Mehigan and George Calombaris left the series after Ten refused to meet the trio's pay rise demands.[8][9] Leong, Zonfrillo and Allen joined debuted on episode one of the show's twelfth season, which premiered on 13 April 2020.[10] Later that year, Network 10 announced that a third season of MasterChef spin-off Junior MasterChef Australia, was set to air in October 2020, with Leong appearing as a judge alongside Allen and Zonfrillo.[11][12]

In November 2020, Leong was named Who's Sexiest Person of 2020 by Who magazine.[5]

In May 2021, it was announced that Leong would appear as a judge in another MasterChef spinoff, the second season of Celebrity MasterChef Australia alongside Allen and Zonfrillo.[13][14]

In late 2022, Leong was announced as a judge on the all new MasterChef spinoff series, titled Dessert Masters. She will judge and co-host the show alongside international pastry chef Amaury Guichon.[15][16] Network 10 announced in their 2023 upfronts that the series will air in the second half of 2023, after the fifteenth season of MasterChef Australia finishes.[17]

In October 2023, it was announced that Leong had been dumped from MasterChef Australia.[18]

Personal life

Leong has had depression and anxiety throughout her life and has an autoimmune condition which has caused chronic insomnia and loss of hair.[19]

Leong married Joe Jones in 2017. In December 2020, she announced the two have separated.[1]

References
  1. Bode, Lucy (21 December 2020). "MasterChef star Melissa Leong's shock walk-out". Who. Archived from the original on 21 December 2020. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  2. "A life in travel: MasterChef Australia judge Melissa Leong". NZ Herald. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  3. Watson, Meg (13 May 2020). "Melissa Leong on MasterChef, diversity and tabloids: 'I will never, ever let this stuff shake me'". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  4. "MasterChef Australia judge Melissa Leong on her life in travel". NZ Herald. 9 July 2020. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  5. Cartwright, Lexie (5 November 2020). "MasterChef's Melissa Leong named sexiest person of 2020". News.com.au. Archived from the original on 20 December 2020. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  6. Lallo, Michael. "'No point in sanitising your past': Melissa Leong praised by viewers". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
  7. "The Chefs' Line | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au. 3 April 2017. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  8. Bucklow, Andrew (10 October 2019). "MasterChef Australia: New judges announced". News.com.au. news.com.au. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  9. "MasterChef Australia New Judges Announced". News.com.au.
  10. The Wait Is Over. MasterChef Australia. Back To Win., retrieved 1 August 2023
  11. "Jock, Melissa, Andy back to judge on Junior MasterChef | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au. 23 July 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  12. "Junior MasterChef makes its debut next month". The Herald Sun.
  13. Perry, Kevin (24 May 2021). "Channel 10 confirms CELEBRITY MASTERCHEF AUSTRALIA is coming". TV Blackbox. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  14. Wilson, Zanda (24 May 2021). "Ten revives Celebrity MasterChef after more than a decade". Mumbrella. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  15. Vrajlal, Alicia. "Everything We Know About MasterChef: Dessert Masters". www.refinery29.com. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  16. Haddad, Kailah (2 March 2023). ""MasterChef Australia"'s Sweetest Season Yet: Meet the Judges of Dessert Masters". POPSUGAR Australia. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  17. "MasterChef: Dessert Masters Is Set For Sweet Success". 10 play. 6 October 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  18. Quinn, Karl (23 October 2023). "Melissa Leong dumped from MasterChef Australia". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  19. Watson, Meg (13 May 2020). "Melissa Leong on MasterChef, diversity and tabloids: 'I will never, ever let this stuff shake me'". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
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