MasterChef’s Melissa Leong reveals hidden ‘red flag’ from her marriage, which ended in December 2020.

Former MasterChef judge Melissa Leong reveals why her marriage ended and how she purchased her own engagement ring. Photo: Instagram/fooderati and TikTok/inheritedthepod

Former MasterChef judge Melissa Leong has revealed she purchased her own engagement ring nearly five years after divorcing husband Joe Jones. The food writer eloped with Jones in California just months after meeting him, ending their marriage four years later.

The food writer was 34 at the time and said she felt a lot of societal pressure to get married before turning 35. The 43-year-old admitted the unconventional practice shouldn’t always be a “red flag” for others, but it was for her.

“I bought it myself, which should have been the first red flag,” she told host Ruby Hall on the Inherited podcast.

Melissa Leong’s candid admission about her marriage: ‘Rushed’

Melissa, who left MasterChef in 2023, said the relationship progressed “very, very quickly” and in hindsight she can see the marriage was rushed.

“For me, it was marriage, it was, ‘I’m 34, I’ve just me this amazing human being, who’s just barrelled on into my life,’ and I wasn’t expecting it, so it was all very, ‘Let’s get married,’ within a three month period of being together,” she said.

She said she was “in no way ready” but didn’t blame Jones for the speedy nuptials, instead remarking that she had “placed an invisible, unnecessary pressure” on herself to achieve the milestone.

The 43-year-old remains single and happy, but open to love if they “deserved” to be in her life.

“I’m great as I am,” she said.

Societal pressure on women to do everything before 35

Ruby also admitted she felt pressure from society to have a partner, get married and own a property.

Many other women agreed.

“It’s extremely difficult to undo 1000s of years of social conditioning that is placed upon women,” one said.

“I have a lot of friends who rushed getting married at 30,” another said. “They all got a divorce before they reached 35.

“They just wanted the party and say to people you see ‘I made it’ without being remotely ready or even wanting really.”

“Kudos to her for calling herself out,” a third said.