MasterChef Australia judge Melissa Leong admits she prefers to live a private life and struggles to enjoy certain elements of her fame
She’s a judge on Channel 10’s popular cooking show MasterChef Australia alongside Andy Allen and Jock Zonfrillo.
But on Friday, Melissa Leong, 39, admitted she struggles to enjoy her fame because she likes to keep her life private.
‘I do a job that’s public [but] I don’t understand the fascination with anything other than what I do for work. I don’t understand why people want to know more than that to be honest,’ the 39-year-old told the Herald Sun.
‘My job is public but my life isn’t’: MasterChef judge Melissa Leong (pictured) has revealed why she keeps her life private and admitted she struggles to enjoy her fame
‘I live a very straight forward life and my job is public, my life isn’t. That’s a very clear delineation I’ve made from the beginning and will always tread that line.’
Melissa also admitted that the ‘trivial fluffier parts of being in a high profile job’ never appealed to her.
‘I believe in being able to reserve things to yourself. That’s the way I was brought up,’ she said.
‘I do a job that’s public. I don’t understand the fascination with anything other than what I do for work. I don’t understand why people want to know more than that to be honest,’ she said
Melissa and co-stars Andy Allen and Jock Zonfrillo replaced veteran judges George Calombaris, Gary Mehigan and Matt Preston on MasterChef in April last year.
At the time, Melissa said it’s a ‘great privilege’ to have been the first female judge on the cooking show.
In an interview with News Corp Australia, she said: ‘I think if you’re going to be the first female judge ever, then wear it with pride, [and] wear it with confidence.’
‘It’s a great privilege to be taking this role, for sure,’ she continued.
New judges! Melissa and her co-stars Andy Allen and Jock Zonfrillo replaced veteran judges George Calombaris, Gary Mehigan and Matt Preston on MasterChef in April last year
Meanwhile, fans are eagerly awaiting season 13 of MasterChef, which is set to premiere on Monday.
The top 12 contestants were recently spotted together out and about in Melbourne, ahead of the highly anticipated debut.
MasterChef Australia will premiere Monday April 19 at 7.30pm on Channel 10
‘I wear it with confidence’: At the time, Melissa said it’s a ‘great privilege’ to have been the first female judge on the cooking show
