Departing MasterChef judges in discussions with rival networks

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This was published 4 years ago

Departing MasterChef judges in discussions with rival networks

By Michael Lallo

Former MasterChef judges Matt Preston, Gary Mehigan and George Calombaris have been in confidential discussions with rival TV networks and streaming services about a new series aimed at a global audience.

On Tuesday, Network Ten ended its association with the trio after contract negotiations broke down.

End of an era: Ex-MasterChef judges George Calombaris, Matt Preston and Gary Mehigan pitch for a new cooking show format.

End of an era: Ex-MasterChef judges George Calombaris, Matt Preston and Gary Mehigan pitch for a new cooking show format.

It is understood the men had agreed to an offer of more than $1 million each, to film another season of the competitive cooking program – but remained at loggerheads with Ten over the length of their new contracts.

According to network insiders, the judges initially wanted a 40 per cent bump in remuneration, despite MasterChef’s latest season averaging 984,000 viewers nationally – its worst result ever – compared to 2.48 million in 2010. Aghast at their demands, and their refusal to accept a smaller increase, the network allowed its biggest stars to walk.

But others tell a different story.

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The sticking point, they maintain, was Ten’s desire to extend the new contracts until the end of next year – while Preston, Mehigan and Calombaris insisted upon an August 2020 expiry, after MasterChef’s 12th season finished, allowing them to negotiate with rival media companies.

It is understood the judges' representatives have been in discussions with Australian networks and streaming giants Netflix and Amazon Prime. Their proposed series would likely film in different countries (with a focus on India, where the judges are especially popular) to maximise its international appeal.

"You have to remember that when people say they're 'in discussions', it could mean anything from a contract that's about to being signed to a pitch that's been sent to a company," says one senior media figure.

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In the wake of their shock departure from Ten, the trio obliquely referred to their contract dispute on social media.

"It was never about the money," Mehigan wrote on Instagram. "We couldn’t agree on the term of the new contract [which] we felt very strongly about … it was time to move on [and] have more free time to explore our own creativity … working together will continue to be the most important thing for us."

The three judges, Netflix and MasterChef production company Endemol Shine have been approached for comment. An Amazon Prime representative said the company would not publicly address rumours.

In February, the hosts formed a company called GaryGeorge&Matt (GGM), using this entity to negotiate with Ten. It is believed they wanted equal salaries.

On Tuesday, almost six months after these discussions began, the men left the network that made them household names – and multi-millionaires.

The timing of this announcement raised more than a few eyebrows. Was Ten trying to boost interest in MasterChef’s grand final episode that evening? Or had the judges imposed this deadline, to force Ten’s hand before the season ended?

Some believe it’s merely a coincidence.

"You could argue the case either way," a source says, "but you’d have to say the timing worked more in Ten’s favour. After all the bad press about George, the judges were never going to get much sympathy from the public."

Last week, it was reported that restaurant empire Made Establishment – a company in which Calombaris is a shareholder and former director – was fined $200,000 for underpaying hundreds of workers a collective total of more than $7.8 million.

"We have repaid our team, past and present, and almost all of those payments were made by October 2017,” a company spokesman said. "We have apologised for this. It should never have happened. We are now committed to being a force for change in the hospitality industry."

One industry executive believes this wage scandal had no bearing on Ten’s thinking – but helped minimise criticism of its actions.

"When Lisa Wilkinson quit Nine, the story became a national conversation about the gender pay gap," the executive says.

"Now people’s minds are focused on hospitality workers slaving away in hot, dirty conditions for not much money. Even if money was not the reason [the judges] left, people will still make those comparisons."

Ten is yet to announce who will replace Preston, Mehigan and Calombaris.

"There’s a million names being thrown around but most of them wouldn’t work," says one MasterChef insider. "It takes a lot of skill and hard work to appear effortlessly natural on camera."

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