MasterChef: The Professionals judge, Monica Galetti, has announced she is taking a break from her role as judge for the next series on BBC One. Monica has been part of the judging trio for the last 14 years, joining first with Michel Roux Jr and Gregg Wallace and then with Marcus Wareing from 2014.
Monica says: "It is with a heavy heart that I’ve made this decision to step back from filming this year’s series of MasterChef: The Professionals. My family need me, my restaurant needs me and trying to balance long filming days over the next three months with all these commitments meant that something had to give.
“So, for the moment, my focus has to be 100% about my loved ones and rebuilding my kitchen team who have had a battering over the last few months especially. Those in the hospitality industry know just how tough it is at the moment.
