MasterChef production moves to Melbourne
Production of MasterChef Australia is to move to Melbourne from Sydney.
After four seasons in Sydney, and following the sale of the Alexandria kitchen where the series was shot, MasterChef will move to the Melbourne Showgrounds for the 2013 season.
David Mott, Network Ten chief programming officer said: “This is an exciting move for MasterChef Australia’s viewers and sponsors,” Mr Mott said. “What better way to explore fresh, new cuisines than to head to what is arguably Australia’s food capital.”
“The Melbourne Showgrounds offers an exciting opportunity to create a new environment for MasterChef Australia, with a new kitchen, new challenges and new locations in Victoria’s acclaimed food and wine regions.”
Mark Fennessy, chief executive of production company Shine Australia said: “Since 2009, MasterChef Australia has enjoyed a wonderfully successful run in NSW. Filming in Melbourne represents an exciting new chapter for the world’s most popular cooking show.”
The news follows a call by Linda Burney, acting NSW opposition leader for Barry O’Farrell, NSW premier to keep the reported $30m-production in Sydney. At the time Ten denied a decision had been made to move.
amazing show
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Probably lots of reasons why they moved – all three mainstay judges are melbournites – but still looks bad for Destination NSW to lose that one – really bad.
the line about Victoria’s acclaimed food and wine districts is interesting – because MC never seemed to highlight NSW districts this year – plenty of Tassie & Kangaroo Island. Which made me think that Destination NSW may not have had its act together to take advantage of it when they had the chance.
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Good on the NSW government for not succumbing to giving an “incentive”, read subsidy, to News Corporation which also owns Shine and the much under used Fox Studios. This whole battle between states for production is a waste of taxpayers money and not in the national interest. Linda Burney’s position is pure, crap populism.
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