“It Felt Wrong To Do It Without Him” Andy Allen on the Difficult Decision to Return to Masterchef

Andy Allen faced a “big decision” about whether to return as a Judge for season 16 of MasterChef Australia, and opens up to Carrie & Tommy on the factors that influenced him to remain on the popular franchise.

Almost a year to the tragic passing of beloved Masterchef Australia judge Jock Zonfrillo, returning to the show was a difficult decision for the ex-contestant, particularly due to the close relationship shared between the two:

“Just walking back into that kitchen.. there was just this weight of grief over me”

Andy continues to share that he didn’t know if he’d be able to do the show justice, and goes on to explain why the first scene was one of the hardest he filmed, “i’m literally the only person in the kitchen.. but for a good five minutes, it was just me”.

After consulting both Andy’s partner, Alex, and Jock Zonfrillo’s wife, Lauren, he found comfort in knowing that his return to the program is “what Jock would’ve wanted”. Tommy Little also couldn’t help but recognise the great headspace Allen is in nowadays noting his “smiling face”:

“I obviously saw you a bit around that time, and to say that I was worried about you was an understatement”

Catch the full chat before the return of Masterchef Australia HERE: