When will MasterChef air after Jock Zonfrillo’s death?

The sudden death of Jock Zonfrillo at the age of 46 will have major consequences for the fifteenth season of MasterChef Australia.

The Scottish chef, who was appointed a judge on the cooking show in late 2019, was found dead by police at a Melbourne hotel at about 2am on Monday.

Following his shocking passing, Channel Ten has postponed the season premiere and will edit it to ensure “nothing will upset viewers,” reports The Daily Telegraph.

Season 15 of the show was set to launch on Monday.

The series is now in limbo as network bosses and sponsors — including key stakeholder Coles — consider whether and how to proceed in light of Zonfrillo’s death just hours before the show’s premiere episode.

Ten has already announced that MasterChef will not air until Monday, May 8.

Obviously, the call will be on Zonfrillo’s family, particularly his wife Lauren Fried, with the network’s and show’s major sponsors determined to respect whatever direction they choose.

It’s believed the network will likely continue with season 15 as a tribute to the late host, with certain episodes changed for sensitivity reasons.

“There’s really no precedent for that. It is said that the show will go on. It’s really a matter of what, how and when so that it’s appropriately respectful to the family and to the viewers,” a TV executive told the publication.

Production on the 62-episode season wrapped up last month at MasterChef’s Melbourne headquarters in Flemington.

The new season reportedly cost “millions” to make, and producers are now looking to make a special “tribute” episode to Zonfrillo before confirming his replacement.

Zonfrillo filmed season 15 alongside fellow judges Melissa Leong and Andy Allen, who both withdrew from their scheduled media interviews following his sudden death.

The Scottish chef, who was appointed a judge on the cooking show in late 2019, was found dead by police at a Melbourne hotel at about 2am on Monday. (He is pictured with fellow judges Melissa Leong, right, and Andy Allen, left)

Allen and Leong were locked down this week for several TV and radio appearances to promote the launch of the culinary competition, which has since been postponed.

The publicity blitz had already begun Monday morning hours before the network and production company Endemol Shine learned of Zonfrillo’s death.

Angela Bishop, Channel Ten’s entertainment reporter, was a guest on Monday night’s The Project – where Zonfrillo was set to appear before his death – and said she had heard his co-stars struggled to process the news.

Following his shocking passing, the network has postponed the season premiere and made changes to ensure “nothing will upset viewers,” reports The Daily Telegraph

“It’s a loss of a family member here at Ten… [He was] only 46. That’s why this is such a shocking piece of news,” Bishop said.

“As you say, together they would work 16 hours a day for MasterChef. You could not find closer colleagues and confidants.

“They’re devastated. “Broken” is the word described to me. They are trying to process this news.’

Zonfrillo’s MasterChef colleagues didn’t seem to know he died until shortly before the news broke on Monday afternoon, as the publicity machine for the new season wasn’t moving until 11:30 a.m. when Leong posted a countdown to the premiere on her Instagram account.

For confidential support, call Lifeline’s 24-hour crisis support on 13 11 14.

Channel Ten’s entertainment reporter Angela Bishop said Zonfrillo’s co-stars (pictured here with guest judge Jamie Oliver) were struggling to process the news