Former MasterChef judge Melissa Leong has made her first public appearance since her late co-star Jock Zonfrillo, Lauren Fried, sparked rumours of a behind-the-scenes feud.
Leong, who defended her strong personality to the Herald Sun last week, looked anything but downcast as she stepped out at the SBS Upfront at Sydney Town Hall on Tuesday.
Looking glamorous in a white cut-out midi dress by Camilla and Marc, the food critic, 41, oozed sophistication as she smiled for photos on the red carpet.
Leong accessorised her elegant ensemble with a pair of black, pointy-toed Louboutin heels and drop earrings by Anna Rossi, and styled her raven hair in a deep side parting.
For makeup, she enhanced her famous features with shimmery pink eye shadow, peachy blush and rose-hued lipstick.
Former MasterChef judge Melissa Leong, 41, (pictured) attended the SBS Upfront at Sydney Town Hall on Tuesday – her first public appearance since Jock Zonfrillo’s widow sparked rumours of a feud
Melissa, who officially quit MasterChef this year, is set to host SBS series Hospital: In the Deep End in 2024.
The three-part series, also starring Costa Georgiadis and Samuel Johnson, will explore the challenges facing the n public health system.
Speaking to The Daily Telegraph at the event, Leong explained that leaving MasterChef was an important step in her TV career.
Looking glamorous in a white cut-out midi dress by Camilla and Marc, the food critic oozed sophistication as she smiled for photos on the red carpet
‘I think there was a big question mark last week as to the why [I left Masterchef], and so this week is where the other shoe drops,’ she said.
‘This is where I can talk about why it was really important for me to have shifted gears with MasterChef and left myself room in my life to be able to expand and evolve into the other parts of who I am, and the other parts of who I can be in terms of my career.’
Elsewhere at the SBS Upfront, Leong was joined on the red carpet by fellow SBS presenters Julia Zemiro and Gina Chick.
Leong accessorised her elegant ensemble with a pair of black, pointy-toed Louboutin heels and drop earrings by Anna Rossi, and styled her raven hair in a deep side parting
For makeup, she enhanced her famous features with shimmery pink eye shadow, peachy blush and rose-hued lipstick
Julia looked festive in a yellow paisley print sundress and matching heels, while Gina sported a brown maxi skirt, white blouse and wood bead necklace.
Also posing with Leong on the red carpet was SBS World News presenter Janice Petersen and NITV host Narelda Jacobs.
The sighting came days after Leong broke her silence amid he rumoured feud with Lauren Fried.
At times, Leong was joined on the red carpet by fellow SBS presenters Julia Zemiro (centre) and Gina Chick (left)
Julia looked festive in a yellow paisley print sundress and matching heels, while Gina sported a brown maxi skirt, white blouse and wood bead necklace. (L-R: Tanzyn Crawford, Keiynan Lonsdale, Julia Zemiro, Melissa Leong and Gina Chick_
Also posing with Leong on the red carpet was SBS World News presenter Janice Petersen (left) and NITV host Narelda Jacobs (centre)
Fried raised eyebrows earlier this month after she conspicuously failed to mention Leong in a post reacting to the new MasterChef lineup.
She also appeared to take another dig at Leong by saying the new judges ‘respect the privilege of being part of an extraordinary show’.
Speaking to the media on Friday for the first time since the feud rumours surfaced, Leong defended her strong personality and insisted won’t stop being ‘unapologetically’ herself.
Melissa, who officially quit MasterChef this year, is set to host SBS series Hospital: In the Deep End in 2024. (L-R: James Taylor, Gina Chick,Julia Zemiro, Melissa Leong, Silvia Colloca and Kathryn Fink)
The sighting came days after Leong broke her silence amid he rumoured feud with Lauren Fried
Fried (with late husband Jock) raised eyebrows last week after she conspicuously failed to mention Leong in a post reacting to the new MasterChef lineup
‘I like to be direct. I like to be heartfelt in everything that I strive to be as real,’ the TV star told the Herald Sun.
‘We are all humans, humans are complex and you are allowed to have off days. For me it’s about being real and that resonates with people.’
The upcoming sixteenth season of MasterChef will see three new judges – series alum Poh Ling Yeow, Michelin-star chef Jean-Christophe Novelli and food critic Sofia Levin – join returning host Andy Allen.
Speaking to the media on Friday for the first time since the feud rumours surfaced, Leong defended her strong personality and insisted won’t stop being ‘unapologetically’ herself
Leong, who starred as a judge in the reality hit for four years, maintains she left the program ‘on her own terms’.
She meanwhile remains part of the Ten family and will be presenting Dessert Masters, a MasterChef spin-off series, alongside Swiss-French pastry prodigy Amaury Guichon.
Fried previously took to Instagram to say Zonfrillo would be ‘very happy’ with the new line-up of MasterChef .
Leong, who starred as a judge in the reality hit for four years, maintains she left the program ‘on her own terms’ Pictured: Leong, with the late Jock Zonfrilo (L) and Andy Allen (R)
Her remark has sparked speculation that Jock, who died on April 30 of natural causes at the age of 46, did not get along with Leong behind the scenes.
In a lengthy post, Fried gushed about Allen returning to the franchise and congratulated Ling Yeow and Novelli on their new roles, but in a somewhat telling move failed to mention Leong’s departure or her four years on the show.
The announcement for the new line-up followed rumours of tension between the judges.
Leong meanwhile remains part of the Ten family and will be presenting Dessert Masters, a MasterChef spin-off series, alongside Swiss-French pastry prodigy Amaury Guichon (right)
Eyebrows were raised when Leong failed to take part in The Sunday Project’s moving tribute to Zonfrillo a week after his death.
Allen and renowned chefs Gordon Ramsay, Marco Pierre White and Curtis Stone all shared their memories in the heartbreaking special.
Conspicuously missing was Leong, who did not appear in the program.
‘There was a very emotional tribute from Andy on The Project and it was surprising Melissa wasn’t there sitting beside him,’ an insider tells .
Fried previously took to Instagram to say Zonfrillo would be ‘very happy’ with the new line-up of MasterChef
‘You would have thought they would have taken on the media together. Especially since the company line was that they were all best friends.
‘It was pretty strange that Melissa went to ground during this time and yet pretty smart to keep her decision to leave the program until now.’
A few months after The Project special, Leong explained that the grieving process is a quiet one for her, after she was criticised for not taking part in a special tribute to late co-star.
The announcement for the new line-up followed rumours of tension between the judges
‘We all deal with loss differently, and we need to honour that,’ she wrote in a column for Stellar magazine.
‘Some people need to talk in order to process emotions, while other take more time to find the words, if they can at all,’ she continued.
‘Some people need to be with people, while others need time alone to stare at a wall, clean incessantly or sleep.’