MasterChef fans believe Jean-Christophe Novelli might be leaving the show.

MasterChef viewers are theorising that a fan favourite judge is leaving the show. Photo: Ten

MasterChef viewers are theorising that a fan favourite judge is leaving the show. Photo: Ten

MasterChef fans have been very open about their disdain for the judges on the show, going so far as to beg producers to replace them. One judge that is seemingly universally loved, however, is French chef Jean-Christophe Novelli.

Fans have expressed concern that he hasn’t been featured on the show enough despite his “sophisticated” feedback. One viewer wrote, “I hope they are treating JC better than it looks re air time because the man is gold. I sometimes wonder what he’s thinking when he’s having to listen to the culinary musings of waaaay less experienced people.”

Now, fans are nervous the chef is leaving the cooking competition after ITV announced he would be appearing in a new show called The Heat.

“New series alert,” they wrote on Instagram. “Think you can handle The Heat? Ten young chefs. One scorching summer. Barcelona’s hottest new kitchen is calling – and they’re living, working and competing under one roof.

“Hosted by Olivia Attwood Dack and led by culinary legend Jean-Christophe Novelli, this is no ordinary cooking show. It’s high stakes, high drama, and seriously high temperatures.

“From post-shift parties to power plays in the kitchen, every episode turns up the pressure. Promotions, sackings, and shocking twists.”

“Is JC leaving MCAU?!” one fan wrote on Reddit along with the announcement of the new show. “I hope this doesn’t mean JC is leaving us?! ITV is a UK channel too so we won’t be able to watch it in Aus.”

“Honestly I wouldn’t blame him if he did leave, I feel like they have really not given him the screen time he deserves this season,” one fan replied.

“Wouldn’t blame him if he did leave, sadly,” another agreed.

Fans seemingly would prefer if Andy left rather than Jean-Christophe. Photo: Ten

Fans seemingly would prefer if Andy left rather than Jean-Christophe. Photo: Ten
“If he isn’t, he should,” a third added. “MCAU doesn’t deserve him. They mostly prefer screaming over constructive criticism. His time will be better spent and valued somewhere else.”

“I hope not! Can we get rid of Andy instead?” someone else quipped.

“I still don’t really know what his role on the show is,” another said of Jean-Christophe. “Or Sofia’s either. They each have so little screen time that they seem irrelevant to the show. It’s pretty clear that Andy and Poh are meant to be the stars based on the editing, which is a shame because they’re the least interesting to me.”

“Agreed! No reflection on JC or Sofia, but neither get a chance to contribute much at all,” one fan replied.

“JC lives in the UK so I presume when he’s not filming MC, he’s back there so I assume this is not is going to really conflict with his MC filming schedule,” another pointed out.

One fan wrote on the ITV announcement post to Jean-Christophe, “I’m glad if you’re leaving MasterChef because there’s nothing great about the show right now, apart from you, and frankly, you deserve better.”

Others were excited, with one person writing, “This will be great!”

Another added, “Good stuff, chef,” with a third writing, “Will have to watch this.”