The two-time contestant has defended her weight loss after sparking concern.

Julie Goodwin on MasterChef / Julie's recent post.

Julie Goodwin has responded to concerns surrounding her weight loss. Photos: Channel 10 / Instagram/_juliegoodwin

She’s one of the most recognisable TV personalities in Australia, but Julie Goodwin has urged fans to stop commenting on her recent transformation. The beloved 54-year-old cook, who rose to fame after winning the first season of MasterChef in 2009, issued a statement on social media on Thursday evening defending her weight loss after growing frustrated by repeated questions and concerns.

“Thanks to all who have expressed concern about my health,” she wrote. “I am well and I am within the healthy weight range. My doctor concurs.”

In response to fans asking her for advice or tips, the mother of three said that she is not qualified to provide this.

“It’s advice that should be sought from your trusted health professionals, not from me. I’m a TV cook,” she continued.

Julie Goodwin on MasterChef season one / Julie Goodwin on MasterChef season 14.

Julie won the inaugural season of MasterChef Australia and returned for season 14 in 2022. Photos: Channel 10

Julie went on to encourage those who want to comment “on the shape and condition of [her] body” to do it on their own page because she is “tired of reading it”.

“For that reason I’Il be turning off comments on this post,” she said. “For those who like to see the food I make and occasional other bits and pieces from my days, please stick around cause that’s what l’ll be posting.

“For all of us, can we please find something more interesting to talk about? Can we please model kindness to our kids and grandkids and can we please leave this obsession with people’s looks back in the 1980s. Peace and love.”

The post, captioned with the hashtag ‘#happyhealthygrateful’, received over 12,000 likes in 12 hours, including from her MasterChef co-star Poh Ling Yeow.

Julie spoke with Yahoo Lifestyle in 2023 for an in-depth discussion about her illustrious career, which includes six cookbooks, one memoir, countless TV appearances, and even a Christmas album, and revealed her surprising career highlight.

While she has worked with numerous high-profile chefs and met many celebrities since winning MasterChef, Julie said that she will never forget cooking alongside Kermit the Frog.

“I was the resident cook on the Today show for a few years,” she detailed. “The producer rang me the day before I was due to come in and she just sort of casually said, ‘Look, don’t wear a skirt tomorrow because there’s going to be a guy under your desk where you’re cooking’, and I went, ‘I beg your pardon?’. She said, ‘Just wear jeans or something’ and I’m like, ‘What do you mean?’ and then she said, ‘Oh, you’re cooking with Kermit the Frog tomorrow’.”

Julie recalled screaming, throwing her phone on the floor, and crying because she had always loved the iconic Muppet character.

“I used to play The Rainbow Connection to my pregnant belly for all three of my babies,” she shared. “And the next day, I went and I cooked with Kermit the Frog. I completely forgot there was a human being under the desk; it was just me and my little green friend, and I just thought, look at me! If you could have told my 4, 5, 6-year-old self that one day I’d be next to Kermit the Frog, having a chat with him, I just don’t even know what I would have done. I wouldn’t have believed it.”