The Duchess of Sussex has been confirmed as a co-host for the upcoming 2027 season of Junior MasterChef Australia, stepping into the role as a special guest alongside fellow host Poh Ling Yeow, according to an announcement from Australia’s Channel 10. The appointment follows a guest judging appearance on MasterChef Australia last year that drew the program’s largest Sunday audience since 2023, Paramount ANZ stated.
The announcement arrives as Meghan faces heightened public scrutiny. BBC reported that the duchess broke contact with her father, Thomas Markle, last year after informing him that she and authorities were aware of allegations that he had abused young girls. Markle has strongly rejected the accusations as lies intended to destroy his reputation, and he denies any wrongdoing.
Meghan’s return to Australian screens follows a four-day tour of the country undertaken with Prince Harry in April. Her initial appearance on MasterChef was announced on the second day of that visit—a Wednesday during which the duchess was notably absent from public engagements. That evening, it was confirmed she had filmed an episode of the cooking program.
Network 10, which broadcasts the series as part of Paramount ANZ, did not respond to inquiries from the BBC regarding whether Meghan will receive financial compensation for co-hosting the junior season, mirroring the unpaid nature of her previous guest appearance. “I love cooking with my own kids, so seeing what these young stars create in the kitchen is going to be a lot of fun,” Meghan said in a statement provided by the network.
Sussexes Move Back to UK After California Media Ventures
The television role accompanies a period of transition for the Sussexes. In August, the couple announced they would move back to the UK from California. They originally stepped back from their royal duties in early 2020 before settling in California that March, where they pursued various media ventures, including a high-profile interview with Oprah Winfrey and deals with Netflix and Spotify.
Meghan’s lifestyle and cookery program on Netflix, With Love, Meghan, ran for two series and a Christmas special but struggled with audience ratings. She also launched the lifestyle brand As Ever, which featured a food range, though its partnership with the streaming platform ended in March. Beyond media productions, her commercial footprint extends to Australia, where her trademark was registered last year across more than a dozen product categories, including cookware and table linen.
