Huge broadcast blunder sees new footage of late Jock Zonfrillo mistakenly aired
Footage from the delayed Masterchef Australia featuring late host Jock Zonfrillo was accidentally made available for streaming.
Channel 10, the network behind the hit cooking competition series, had previously vowed to postpone the series in the wake of Zonfrillo’s death. In a statement shared on social media, they had written that they were “deeply shocked and saddened at the sudden loss”, and that “MasterChef Australia will not air” on its anticipated premiere week- nor any sooner than May 8.
However, in a tragic broadcast blunder, 17 minutes of content made it online, showing Zonfrillo alongside his fellow judges - Melissa Leong and Andy Allen - as they welcomed special guest Jamie Oliver, and their contestants.
Zonfrillo in particular had presented a former contestant - who had previously left the show in 2021 to prioritise his mental health - with an apron, before asking how he was doing.
The clip was removed as fans and mourners drew attention to the mistake, but the damage had been done, and the upset was prevalent.
As one insider told The Daily Mail, the future of the show was in the hands of the late chef’s wife, Lauren Fried, and family.
“It will really come down to Jock’s family and what they feel he would have wanted,” they said, despite the network itself and the sponsors connected to the series reportedly believed to be onboard with proceeding with the new season.
“Commercially, and in terms of timing, this is a disaster. It is simply diabolical,” the source continued. “But not even a major TV network would be ghoulish enough to put anything other than the wishes of Jock’s family first and foremost.”
While the future of Masterchef Australia remains unknown, Zonfrillo’s co-hosts are taking the time to process their devastating loss, with both breaking their silence to share touching tributes to their friend on social media.
“Four years ago, the three of us stood on a precipice and leapt together,” Melissa wrote, before describing the impact the late chef had had on her life, and how he was “always supposed to be the bulletproof one who outlived us all.”
She went on to note everything she admired about him, from his kindness to his ability to carry “far more on your shoulders than most could ever know.”
“This all feels too raw to process still, I suspect it will for some time,” she concluded. “Such is the impact of a life lived so large, with so much levity and entirely on your own terms.”
Andy’s post began in a similar manner, with the chef opening up on how Zonfrillo had changed their lives, and how they never could have anticipated how close they would all grow.
“You've become such an inspirational and important part of our lives. Sure, you've taught me so much about food, but it's the lessons I learnt about what it means to be a great father, husband and friend that I'll take away from our time together and will last forever,” he wrote, alongside a series of pictures and one video of his late friend.
In a heartbreaking list, Andy outlined just a small fraction of the ways he’d miss Zonfrillo, wrapping things up when he declared “you really were the complete package mate and life will never be the same without you …
“Give it up for Jock Zonfrillo.”
Images: Instagram