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MasterChef launches the main event

Former cast members joined new contestants, celebs, execs, media and Gary, George and Matt as TEN launched MasterChef Series 3.

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Julie Goodwin, Adam Liaw, Callum Hann, Alvin Quah, Justine Schofield, Jonathan Daddia joined Matt Preston, George Calombaris and Gary Mehigan last night for the launch of MasterChef Australia 2011.

They were joined by this year’s contestants -whose names and identities are still under embargo- plus Maggie Beer, Adriano Zumbo, Neil Perry, Justin North, and media.

Also in attendance were TEN execs including Beverley McGarvey, Rick Maier, Kerry Kingston, Peter Andrews, Jim Carroll plus George Negus, Hamish MacDonald, Angela Bishop, Natarsha Belling, Colin Lane, and Shannon Ponton.

Absent were interim CEO Lachlan Murdoch who was ill and Programming Chief David Mott who was overseas.

Gary Mehigan thanked sponsors, Network TEN and FremantleMedia Australia.

“You have to admit when you watch all the other shows on telly, the production values on this show are second to none,” he said.

“It’s the best looking show on television.”

The new season includes appearances from Heston Blumenthal, Nigella Lawson, Rick Stein, Maggie Beer and Adriano Zumbo.

The series kicks off on Sydney’s Cockatoo Island when a giant one tonne mystery box arrives suspended from a helicopter. Other challenges see MasterChef travelling to the pit of the Sunrise Dam mine in the West Australian outback, two kilometres out to sea on the longest jetty in the Southern hemisphere in Busselton, plus heading to the vineyards of Margaret River. Rick Stein meets contestants for a masterclass in Kuala Lumpur, and closer to home the contestants cook on the beautiful beaches of Cronulla.

Mehigan said, “This year the contestants are honest, earthy, upfront kind of people. The sort of people you want around you that make you smile, make you laugh, make the hair stand on the back of your neck. There will be some tears. And when they’ve stopped there will be some more. But if there’s one thing you have to remember, it’s that this is the MasterChef series you will remember. It is incredible.”

Matt Preston and George Calombaris then introduced Matt Moran, who joins as a regular guest judge.

The Top 50 contestants include:
– 12 contestants from NSW including a DJ and a life guard from Sydney’s Northern beaches
– 14 contestants from VIC in an even male and female split including a graphic designer, a farmer and two publicists.
– Double the number of contestants from QLD with 12 including a mum of five, a fruit and veg salesman and a 20 year old nursing student.
– Five contestants from WA including a fighter pilot
– Seven contestants from SA including an award winning wine maker.

MasterChef begins 7:30pm Sunday May 1st.

24 Responses

  2. @brisvegas I suggest we have it for when a contestant dries for no reason over nothing. we will be all plastered by the 10 minute mark of the first episode

  3. So true about the production values, masterchef don’t hold back and thats one of the good things about it. I’m sooo pumped for this season!
    Ten would be stupid not to put it on 6 nights a week, and esp since glee is nearly done and so is modern family they will need something to fill 7.30 slots.

  4. I didn’t spot anyone from Tassie , NT or Canberra , whats the GO.
    @David Knox , any idea how often they will be shown each week wasnt it 5 or 6 times last year , many thanks.

  5. I suggest a drinking game – whenever a judge says “you’ve taken us on a journey” to a contestant in relation to a meal, or words to that effect, a drink should be taken! 🙂

  7. Can’t wait. Know what has surprised me the most so far? The fact that Madonna (or her company) let them use Ray of Light for the promo.

    @ AS – MC has already outdone MKR ten fold. The only one playing catch-up is the copy cats at 7.

    Someone has an epic stack attack in the promo too – I have been waiting for that to happen the past few years.

  10. if the episodes are not much more than product plugs and are “emotional”…I’ll be switching over – so i’m semi-looking forward to the show 🙂

  13. Gary just cant help himself.
    Always having a jab at other shows.
    Simply have confidence in your own Gary.
    The bar has been raisd on you lot this year.
    As well as Biggest Loser, didn’t MKR feature an island in Sydney Harbor this year?
    Not very original.

  15. Can’t wait for MC to start. I think both MC and MKR will keep getting better and better as they try to out do each other.

    It’ll be interesting to see if the ratings are affected by people being over cooking shows.

  17. Morning David, just a clarification for you. The Busselton Jetty is the longest timber-piled jetty in the Southern Hemisphere. The longest jetty is the bulk sugar jetty off Lucinda near Ingham (north of Townsville). At 5.76k long one can see the curve of the earth.

    Sadly it was badly damaged by cyclone Yasi.

  22. Let’s hop Ten uses this season to launch some new shows off the back of it. And also boost some existing ones. They’ve wasted the opportunity for 2 seasons now.

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