After making her name for decades as a food critic, writer and presenter, Melissa Leong took television by storm after being announced as one of the new judges of MasterChef Australia. In her third consecutive season now (apart from the Junior and Celebrity versions) on the hit cooking reality show, ‘Mel’ is a household name and one of the most-adored TV celebrities globally, even being voted Who Magazine’s Sexiest Person of 2020.
But Mel is much more than her on-screen persona, or indeed, her looks and fashion choices; the Australian has also come in for a lot of praise due to her mental health advocacy and stance on representation for women of colour.
Currently part of Season 14 — Fans & Favourites, which features 12 new contestants and 12 former contestants — Mel continues to be one of the most endearing aspects of the show, mentoring and working with the cooks as they fight their way to the title, all the while regaling in her banter with co-hosts Jock Zonfrillo and Andy Allen.
