British restaurateur and famous cookbook author Jamie Oliver could be the new MasterChef judge for season 16 of MasterChef Australia.

The decision comes after the tragic passing of Scottish chef Jock Zonfrillo in April this year, a judge who took the reins in 2020 alongside MasterChef alumni Andy Allen and food critic Melissa Leong.

According to Woman’s Day, famous TV chef Jamie Oliver has negotiated a $2 million deal to take over Jock’s role with the plan to begin filming in November. The magazine adds that the celebrity chef hasn’t agreed to permanently fill the role.

“Jamie has inked a deal worth around $2 million,” a source told Women’s Day.

The pay packet is reportedly going to include accommodation for Jamie and his family for a January visit, along with a return trip back to the UK for Christmas.

Channel 10 told Mamamia in response to the rumour that “Information about the upcoming season of MasterChef Australia will be shared in the coming months.”

The Naked Chef star being cast on the show wouldn’t be outside the realms of possibilities. Jamie has appeared on MasterChef several times as a guest judge, so much so that fans consider him a part of the MC family.

After hearing the news of Jock’s death, Jamie shared an emotional tribute on Instagram. “I’m in total shock to wake up to the sudden death of chef Jock Zonfrillo,” the post began.

“We had the best time working together for this year’s MasterChef, I can’t tell how good it was to work with him! Jock was very generous to me with his time and spirit in the show and for that I was really grateful…Jock will be so very missed.”

Could this be a sign?

Jamie Oliver is reportedly set to replace Jock Zonfrillo as a judge on MasterChef Australia, with the star alluding to his new role in an Instagram post last month.

In August, Jamie Oliver took to Instagram to reveal that he’s coming to Australia in November for a special event at the Opera House with MasterChef’s very own Melissa Leong – the exact same month the cast and crew are due to begin filming the cooking reality show.

Jamie Oliver in conversation with Melissa Leong in November

“AUSTRALIA, I’m coming for you!! Join me at @sydneyoperahouse in conversation with the amazing @fooderati on Saturday 11th November!” Jamie said in the post.

“I’ll be telling my story from the early Naked Chef days to how I continue to help all of you cook fresh and delicious food from scratch! And I’ll obviously be talking about why I will always fight to keep kids’ health at the top of the agenda. Hit the link in my bio to grab yourself a ticket. Cya there j x x x

Melissa Leong commented: “It’s going to be a cracker! Looking forward to seeing you soon.”

Jamie Oliver’s Unforgettable MasterChef Visit

Indeed, Jamie is no stranger to the MasterChef Australia family, having appeared on the show numerous times, the latest being on the premiere episode of the last season.

Fans absolutely loved his appearance on the show, where he spilled a personal secret after a contestant presented a dish that combined her Russian and Ukrainian heritage.

Oliver was taken aback by the “delicious” dish, which prompted him to spill an unknown fact about his home life.

“With things going on in the world at the moment, it’s kind of profound that you’re here with a Russian and Ukrainian dish,” he said.

“Can I give you a little secret, that no one really knows?

I’ve had two Ukrainian families living with me for the last seven months. I’ve had my fair share of borscht! And this is delicious.”

Dessert Masters, which was slated to premiere this year but is yet to have an air date, will see Leong and Amaury Guichon step in as judges.

MasterChef Australia 2023: A Season of Highs and Lows

MasterChef 2023, the show’s 15th season, premiered to solid ratings on May 7, drawing 761,000 viewers across the five-city metro rankings, marking its biggest debut since 2020 which attracted 1.23 million viewers for Leong, Allen and Zonfrillo’s first season as judges.

It dipped to a low of 365,000 around halfway through the season, as it regularly jostled to win the timeslot against rival networks Seven and Nine, before climbing to 698,000 viewers for its finale in July.

This year’s season was rocked by the unexpected news of Zonfrillo’s tragic death.

The Scottish chef died just one day before it was set to premiere on May 1, with the debut episode pushed back a week with the support of Zonfrillo’s family, including his widow, Lauren Fried.

Brent Draper was announced as the winner, taking home a cash prize of $250,000.

Rhiannon Anderson was the runner-up, pocketing $40,000, while Declan Cleary received $10,000 for finishing third.