MasterChef alumni Poh Ling Yeow is one of the hit show’s most-loved contestants – she was the runner-up to Julie Goodwin in the 2009 debut season – and now she’s back as a mentor, helping out the next generation of cooks find their feet.
But many eagle-eyed MasterChef viewers have noticed something a little different about the gorgeous 46-year-old, who hasn’t seemed to age AT ALL since she first came onto our screens a decade ago.
While we’re used to seeing Poh with her long black hair tied back in a slick ponytail, for this brand new season of MasterChef she debuted a sleek new bob haircut.
Poh is BACK for MasterChef 2019! (Image: @pohlingyeow/Instagram)
Poh leading the contestants through a tasting challenge. (Image: @pohlingyeow/Instagram)
The shorter ‘do looks awesome on Poh, who runs an Asian food stall called Jamface at Adelaide’s Central Market and is also an artist on the side, and it’s got viewers wondering if Poh is wearing a wig.
Some even speculated that the talented cook might be going through chemotherapy or radiation treatment for cancer, possibly wearing the wig to conceal hair loss.
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Even some of Poh’s own Instagram followers have started to comment on her page asking her if the new bob is real or fake.
“Poh, I love you … you’re wearing a wig right??? It looks great but I need to know the truth. I can’t concentrate on the food while this dilemma mesmerises me,” one fan wrote.
“Please confirm. Some people are saying you’re wearing a wig but I can see your scalp in the part. Mind you the expensive wigs have flesh scalps too,” another follower asked.
In response to one commenter who wrote “Poh, your haircut looks like a wig”, the former Poh’s Kitchen host wrote back, “Um, thank you?”
Poh’s remark would suggest her hair is not actually a wig, just a regular bob.
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Poh in MasterChef’s famous veggie garden. (Image: @pohlingyeow/Instagram)
Showing off her brand new bob. (Image: @pohlingyeow/Instagram)
And on Sunday night, Poh unveiled a second new haircut, revealing she’d chopped off her hair again – this time into an adorable pixie cut.
“YES, the temptation to go shorter after going short, got to me – PRESENTING new pixie cut,” she wrote on Instagram.
Of course, her followers were quick to weight in with their opinions.
“Really like the short on you – really nice cut – I didn’t like the bob sorry made you look way too old!! Sorry eeek!!” one person wrote.
“Soooo much better… sorry didn’t care for the bob cut on you… the pixie is fierce!!!!” another wrote, while someone else said, “Much better, didn’t think the bob was really you. Fab x”.
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(Image: @pohlingyeow/Instagram)
Her MasterChef colleague, judge Matt Preston, wrote “love the new cut!!!”, to which Poh replied, “Well, it’s your fault really because no one wants a mumsy bobsy”, suggesting that the stylish Brit had cheekily suggested to Poh that she change up her look.
WATCH BELOW: Julie Goodwin beats Poh in the 2009 premiere season of MasterChef Australia. Story continues after video.
This week is currently Nigella Week on MasterChef, with the gorgeous Nigella Lawson joining judges Gary Mehigan, Matt Preston and George Calombaris in the kitchen, while previous contestants including 2015 winner Billie McKay and 2016 runner-up Matt Sinclair.
Now To Love has contacted Poh’s management for comment.
Poh with fellow judges Gary Mehigan, Matt Preston, George Calombaris and old contestant Callum Hann(Image: @pohlingyeow/Instagram)
