Australia MasterChef judge Jock Zonfrillo has died aged 46.
The chef first joined the show in 2019, for the 2020 season. A cause of death has not yet been released.
His death was confirmed by Channel 10 in a statement this afternoon.
"Network 10 and Endemol Shine Australia are deeply shocked and saddened at the sudden loss of Jock Zonfrillo, a beloved member of the MasterChef Australia family. Jock passed away in Melbourne yesterday," the statement begins.
"Jock was known to Australians as a chef, best-selling author, philanthropist and MasterChef judge but he will be best remembered as a loving father, husband, brother and son."
His death comes on the same day as Australia MasterChef was due to return for its 2023 season. The series has been pulled from broadcast for this week in Australia.
TVNZ said it was devastated to hear of Zonfrillo's sudden death.
"New Zealand viewers love MasterChef Australia and Jock is one of the reasons why the show has become such an international sensation," it said in a statement.
"Audiences have always appreciated his passion for food, his care of contestants, as well as his humour and cheeky charisma.
"We'll be talking to our colleagues at Network Ten and Endemol Shine in Australia in the coming days about their plans going forward.
"We'll update our viewers as soon as we can. Our condolences are with Jock's family and the team that brings MasterChef to life."
Zonfrillo is survived by his wife Lauren Fried and his four children.
The rest of Channel 10's statement can be found below:
"Determined and talented and with plenty of grit, Jock was born in Glasgow to an Italian father and a Scottish mother, which meant his formative years were heavily influenced by two strong cultures and it was his obsession with food and desire for a new pushbike that at just 12 years old fuelled Jock to knock on kitchen doors looking for a job.
"Jock's love and passion for food saw him become one of the youngest culinary students to do an apprenticeship at The Turnberry Hotel at just 15 years of age. From that point onwards there was no holding him back and by 17 he was working alongside Marco Pierre White at his eponymous Restaurant Macro Pierre White.
"Throughout his career he worked with world famous chefs and in restaurants all over the world. His talent saw him shine in the world's most formidable kitchens and he opened Bistro Blackwood and Restaurant Orana in Adelaide after moving to Australia.
"Jock's Restaurant Orana was recognised with the coveted distinction of three hats in both 2019 and 2020 and he also received global accolades, accepting the prestigious Basque Culinary World Prize in 2018.
"In 2019, Jock was named as a judge on MasterChef Australia in which he took great pride in challenging and coaching the contestants and of course inspiring a nation of home cooks.
"Jock's charisma, wicked sense of humour, generosity, passion and love for food and his family cannot be measured. He will be greatly missed."
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