Junior MasterChef Australia is returning to Network 10 in 2027, with Poh Ling Yeow and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, set to help a new generation of young cooks find their feet in the kitchen.
The announcement comes ahead of 10’s upfronts on Wednesday, with the revival marking the first new season of the junior cooking competition in six years. Meghan, who appeared as a guest judge on MasterChef Australia earlier this year, will return to the kitchen in a new role alongside Poh.
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Get ready, Australia; Junior MasterChef Australia is back on the menu. Returning to 10 in 2027, the much-loved series will see Poh Ling Yeow joined by special guest Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, as they help guide the next generation of young culinary talent.
Six years after the nation’s youngest aspiring chefs last took over the kitchen, Junior MasterChef is set to return with a new generation of budding cooks ready to showcase their skills, creativity and passion for food.
An entrepreneur, actress, humanitarian and passionate home cook, Emmy-nominated Meghan previously joined the MasterChef Australia kitchen as a guest judge in 2026. Now, she returns to work alongside Poh and meet the young contestants as they embark on their own culinary journeys.
Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, said:
“I had an incredible time with the whole team at MasterChef this past April, so when they approached me to come back and work with this young group of talent, it was an easy yes.”
“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. I can’t wait to see what they cook up!”
With her Emmy nominated and globally celebrated series With Love, Meghan and her passion for home cooking, she was delighted to join MasterChef Australia in 2026, drawing the program’s largest Sunday audience since 2023. She previously appeared as a guest judge on Food Network’s Chopped Junior in the United States in 2016.
Poh will have a busy year ahead in 2027, returning to judge MasterChef Australia Season 19 alongside Andy Allen, Sofia Levin and Jean-Christophe Novelli, while also bringing her experience and enthusiasm to Junior MasterChef.
Poh Ling Yeow said:
“I’m thrilled to bits that Junior MasterChef is returning to our screens. People often ask me whether it might come back, so I know the news will be met with plenty of excitement.”
“I had a lovely time filming with Meghan earlier this year, and being reunited will be a real treat. I can’t wait to meet our pint-sized culinary adventurers – I’m expecting plenty of delicious surprises and a little mischief, too.”
With Poh’s culinary expertise and Meghan’s enthusiasm for cooking and nurturing young talent, Junior MasterChef Australia promises to serve up plenty of inspiration as the next generation of Australian cooks steps into the kitchen.
Junior MasterChef Australia is produced by Endemol Shine Australia (ESA), part of media and entertainment group Banijay Entertainment, and distributed internationally by Banijay Rights.
Surely Meghan is ratings poison?!