Meghan Named Co-Host of Junior MasterChef Australia for 2027 Season

Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, has been confirmed as a co-host of the new season of Junior MasterChef Australia, the BBC reported, citing Australia’s Channel 10. She will join the 2027 series as a “special guest” alongside fellow host Poh Ling Yeow.

The role puts the duchess back in front of Australian viewers on a cooking competition that features child contestants. Neither the BBC nor The Independent gave a premiere date for the season.

How the Junior MasterChef role came together

The BBC traced the path that led to the announcement:

• Early 2020: Meghan and Prince Harry left the United Kingdom and stepped back from their royal duties.
• March 2020: The couple settled in California and began media careers, including an interview with Oprah Winfrey and a deal with Netflix and Spotify.
• April: The pair made a four-day tour of Australia. On the second day, it was announced that Meghan would make her MasterChef debut, and that evening it emerged she had filmed an episode.
• August: The Sussexes announced they were moving back to the U.K. from California.
• Announcement: Channel 10 confirmed her as a co-host of the junior series.

Meghan, 45, appeared as a guest judge during the show’s 18th series. The Independent reported that contestants were asked to turn a basic culinary element into a dish suited to a duchess. The two outlets differ on timing: the Independent described the appearance as earlier this year, while the BBC said it took place last year.

What the job involves

Details of the filming schedule come from reporting by News.com.au, as relayed by The Independent. According to that account, filming is expected to run over several weeks in early to mid-2027 and is slated to take place in Melbourne, with Meghan relocating to Australia for the duration. A source told the news site that Harry and the couple’s children might visit, though nothing has been confirmed. A spokesman for the Sussexes was approached for comment.

In a statement, Meghan said she loves cooking with her own children and expects it to be fun to see what the young contestants create. The BBC understands she was not paid for her earlier guest appearance. Network 10, which airs the series as part of Paramount ANZ, did not respond when the BBC asked whether she would be paid for co-hosting.

What this means for viewers and for Meghan’s career

For viewers, the announcement signals that a high-profile guest will anchor part of the next junior series. Paramount ANZ said her earlier appearance drew the show’s largest Sunday audience since 2023, according to the BBC.

For Meghan, the role comes as she weighs her next steps. Her Netflix lifestyle and cookery show, With Love, Meghan, ran for two series and a Christmas special but did not perform well with audiences, the BBC said. Her lifestyle brand, As Ever, which includes a food range, ended its partnership with the streaming platform in March. Her trademark was registered last year in more than a dozen product categories in Australia, including cookware and table linen.

The Independent also cited a Telegraph report that Meghan is expected to concentrate on her family, her lifestyle brand and a possible return to acting rather than pseudo-royal visits. The Independent noted there had been speculation about her next career move before the Australian announcement.

What happens next

Filming is not expected until early to mid-2027, per the News.com.au account. Channel 10 and Paramount ANZ have not yet released further details on the season.

Around Prague, based on reporting by The Independent, BBC News