MasterChef Australia premieres with a ratings hit as 761,000 viewers tune in to Jock Zonfrillo’s final season following his shocking death
The season premiere of MasterChef Australia on Sunday night was a smash hit after it returned to screens following Judge Jock Zonfrillo’s shocking death.
His debut in the 7:30pm primetime slot came after a moving hour-long tribute to Zonfrillo on Channel Ten’s The Sunday Project.
MasterChef attracted 761,000 viewers nationwide, easily outselling the competition, Seven’s Farmer Wants A Wife and Nine’s Lego Masters.
It did particularly well in the coveted 25-54 demographic, with 345,000 viewers in this group tuning in to see how the show covered Jock’s passing.
Farmer Wants A Wife followed with 609,000 viewers and Lego Masters came in third with 567,000 people watching the penultimate episode.
MasterChef Australia’s Sunday night season premiere was a ratings hit after it returned to screens following the unexpected passing of Judge Jock Zonfrillo (pictured)
Ten’s heartwarming tribute to Zonfrillo on The Sunday Project was also a ratings success, with 610,000 people watching it – far more than the 246,000 viewers who tuned in the week before.
It comes after MasterChef viewers were quick to express their heartache on social media, admitting the new season “hits differently” in the wake of the tragic loss.
Tears flowed as viewers saw the late Jock Zonfrillo grace their screens for the last time, with many sharing their emotional reactions on Twitter.
MasterChef’s debut in the 7:30pm primetime slot came after a moving hour-long tribute to Zonfrillo on Channel Ten’s The Sunday Project. Pictured: Zonfrillo with fellow judges Melissa Leong and Andy Allen
“Every time Jock speaks,” one distraught fan wrote, accompanied by a crying emoji.
Jock said, “What a time to be alive.” Life is so precious and no one knows what awaits us. This comment of his is heartbreaking,” another person tweeted.
The pain was palpable, with many fans struggling to contain their emotions.
MasterChef attracted 761,000 viewers nationwide, easily surpassing the competition, Seven’s Farmer Wants A Wife and Nine’s Lego Masters
‘I can’t get around this. Well. I think it’s going to take me some time. My heart is breaking,” another viewer wrote.
Others couldn’t help but feel the weight of the loss as they watched an emotional conversation between Jock and contestant Brent about overcoming personal struggles.
“That convo between Jock and Brent is just hitting hard right now,” one fan commented.
MasterChef Australia continues on Channel Ten on Monday at 7:30pm
It did particularly well in the coveted 25-54 demographic, with 345,000 viewers in this group tuning in to see how the show dealt with Jock’s passing