MasterChef Australia fans are still digesting the shock news that judges George Calombaris, Gary Mehigan and Matt Preston are leaving the show after 11 seasons.
But could there already be a replacement judge in line to take the helm of the Logie-winning show?
According to Sportsbet, the hot favourite to take the reins is former contestant Poh Ling Yeow, whose appearance on the show this year had everyone talking for a surprising reason: her hair.
Before the news of the departures were made public, the betting site had Poh’s odds of taking over sitting at $3, with another former contestant, Adam Liaw, close on her tail.
Adam, who won season two in 2009 and now hosts Destination Flavour on SBS, had his odds set at $5.
WATCH: Adam Liaw is a natural on-screen. Does he have what it takes for the MasterChef gig? Story continues after video…
Rumours are circling that Poh Ling Yeow could be MasterChef Australia’s new judge.
(Image: Network Ten)However, Adam appears to have no knowledge of a new gig lined up, writing on Twitter that he had no knowledge of George, Gary and Matt’s exit.
“I’ve had about 30 different interview requests in the past half hour about the #MasterChefAU judges leaving, so to save trouble: 1. I know nothing about this beyond what’s online; and 2. I am at the pool with my kids so I am unlikely to agree to an interview in my smugglers.”
Other likely contenders for the now vacant gig according to Sportsbet include celebrity chefs Luke Nguyen ($7), Gordon Ramsay ($7.50) and former MasterChef winner Billie McKay ($8).
Just hours before the mass exodus was announced by Channel Ten, the odds departure of George was at just $1.60 – with most punters seeming to believe he wouldn’t keep the gig.
Gary Mehigan, Matt Preston and George Calombaris won’t return in 2020.
(Image: Network Ten)“Once we opened the market, 80% of all cash in the market had been for him not get his job back, which given the last few months he’s had, isn’t surprising,” a Sportsbet spokesperson told Now To Love.
“We closed the market as soon as a few whispers online suggested they had been given the boot today, so no one managed to get on after the news had broken.”
