Meghan Markle is heading back to the MasterChef Australia kitchen, and this time the contestants will be considerably shorter. Deadline reported that the Duchess of Sussex has been confirmed as a “special guest” on the revived Junior MasterChef Australia for Network 10, set for 2027. The invite follows her April 2026 guest judge turn, which Paramount ANZ said drew the show’s largest Sunday audience since 2023, according to Variety.
What Meghan will actually be doing
The news landed on October 27, 2026, via a press release from Channel 10 and Paramount ANZ, Variety reported. Meghan will appear alongside host and chef Poh Ling Yeow, who is clearly happy about the reunion.
“I had a lovely time filming with Meghan earlier this year, and being reunited will be a real treat,” Poh said in the Channel 10 press release, as reported by Deadline.
There is a small wrinkle in the job title. The official Channel 10 press release calls Meghan a “special guest.” Some coverage, including framing from Deadline and Variety, has described her as a co-host. The network’s own wording is the one to go by for now, so think “very welcome visitor” rather than “permanent fixture behind the bench.”
Meghan, for her part, sounds thrilled. “I had an incredible time with the whole team at MasterChef this past April, so when they approached me to come back and work with this young group of talent, it was an easy yes,” she said in the press release, per Deadline.
She also leaned into her mom credentials. “I love cooking with my own kids, so seeing what these young stars create in the kitchen is going to be a lot of fun,” she added.
As for the show itself, Junior MasterChef Australia is making a comeback of its own. The last season aired in 2020. According to Variety, the series is produced by Endemol Shine Australia, part of Banijay Entertainment, and distributed internationally by Banijay Rights.
The ratings that got her invited back
This second booking did not come out of nowhere. Meghan first stepped into the MasterChef Australia kitchen as a guest judge in April 2026, during a four-day trip to Australia with Prince Harry, Deadline reported. That episode aired on July 26, 2026.
And Australia tuned in. According to Variety, Paramount ANZ said her appearance attracted the show’s largest Sunday audience since 2023. In television, numbers like that are basically a handwritten thank-you note with a return invitation tucked inside.
A difficult backdrop for the family
The announcement arrived just days after serious news involving Meghan’s father became public.
CNN reported that Thomas Markle Sr. is under investigation by Philippine authorities for allegedly possessing child sexual abuse material, following a report to police by his son, Thomas Markle Jr. ABC News (US) reported that the Philippines Department of Justice confirmed the matter is under investigation, with its anti-trafficking and OSAEC task force handling the case. Thomas Markle Sr. has denied the allegations, according to TMZ.
Meghan addressed the situation in a statement reported by TMZ. “I am deeply distressed at the news that has come to light in the last 24 hours, and my thoughts are with any children who may have been harmed,” she said. She also revealed that she had been told of “disturbing allegations” against her father several years ago, via a letter sent to the Metropolitan Police in 2018, TMZ reported.
Around the same time, Harry, Meghan, and their children Archie and Lilibet reportedly left the UK to go overseas, according to Hello! Magazine, which cited a friend of Meghan’s, as reported by ABC News (US). Some coverage has framed the trip as the couple departing because of the investigation. However, Page Six reported that the family trip was reportedly planned before the news broke publicly.
So, is this her big TV comeback?
Here is the honest answer: it is a return to TV, but a cozy and contained one.
Meghan’s most recent big screen venture had a quieter ending. Netflix’s partnership with her lifestyle brand As Ever ended earlier in 2026, after “With Love, Meghan” was not renewed beyond two seasons. Junior MasterChef Australia is not her own series. It is a guest spot on an established franchise with a built-in audience and a host she already gets along with.
That might be exactly the point. Food is clearly her comfort zone, kids cooking on TV is pure feel-good programming, and the last time she showed up in that kitchen, the ratings went up. It is a low-risk, high-charm booking for everyone involved.
It also comes during a period of big changes for the couple. Harry and Meghan stepped back from royal duties in January 2020 and relocated to Montecito, California. In August 2026, Variety reported that they had moved back to the UK after six years in the US, and Variety and People reported they were keeping their Montecito home.
Whether Melbourne becomes a regular stop remains to be seen. For now, Meghan has a date with Poh Ling Yeow, a kitchen full of young chefs, and a 2027 calendar that just got a lot more delicious.
