{"id":757301,"date":"2026-06-24T14:01:14","date_gmt":"2026-06-24T14:01:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/757301\/"},"modified":"2026-06-24T14:01:14","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T14:01:14","slug":"channel-10-responds-to-masterchef-budget-cut-rumours","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/757301\/","title":{"rendered":"Channel 10 responds to MasterChef budget cut rumours"},"content":{"rendered":"

The competition in this year\u2019s MasterChef Australia<\/a> is certainly heating up as the season is close to naming its Top 10 contestants. However, now that enough time has passed and challenges have been completed, long-time fans of the show have expressed one major complaint<\/a>.<\/p>\n

While the show has incorporated the show\u2019s fundamental elements, like pressure tests, immunity challenges, and Mystery boxes, fans want more of the elements beloved from previous seasons, like \u201coff-site or location cooks\u201d, invention tests<\/a>, or more \u201cservice challenges.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve loved MasterChef Australia for many years, but it just feels really boring this year,\u201d one viewer expressed online. \u201cI understand budget cuts, but I wish some of the older challenges would at least come back. The Pressure Tests and Invention Tests were my favourite, or the ones where they\u2019re limited to a set of ingredients, no pantry, no garden.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI miss the cooks actually being forced to be creative.\u201d <\/p>\n

Cost-cutting has been cited as the main reason this season has featured less variety, with the resting of I\u2019m a Celebrity\u2026Get Me Out of Here! <\/a>viewed as evidence of the network\u2019s shrinking budgets. <\/p>\n

\"JoshMasterChef Australia has brought in some world famous chefs and personalities this year, such as Josh Niland (left) and Robert Irwin (right). Credit: Channel 10. <\/p>\n

\u201cTheir budgets are shrinking every year\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite still believing that the \u201cproduction quality is top-notch as always\u201d and expressing praise for the \u201cincredibly strong cooks this year\u201d, MasterChef Australia<\/a> superfans have started conversations on Reddit threads and Facebook groups online about the details they\u2019re missing most this year.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t stop noticing that this is the first season where they seem to have gotten rid of all the fun, classic elements we love,\u201d one fan observed. \u201cHas anyone else noticed how much is missing?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo Pressure Tests:\u00a0We only had 1 or 2 right at the start of the season; Confined to the Studio:\u00a0They haven\u2019t gone out even once! No off-site or location cooks; Missing Classic Challenges:\u00a0Where are the Invention Tests, Service Challenges, and proper Team Challenges?; Lack of Proper Guest Chefs.\u201d <\/p>\n

Other viewers noted the absence of long-format masterclasses. <\/p>\n

The consensus is that budget cuts are to blame for the shift away from the format of old, with comments such as, \u201cI think this season has been hit by significant budget cutbacks,\u201d one fan offered. \u201cCh 10\/Paramount have been bleeding money on declining revenues. For example, I\u2019m A Celebrity\u2026 had been \u201crested\u201d and the last season was mostly pre-recorded.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLooks like their budgets are shrinking every year,\u201d another agreed. \u201cMeanwhile, we\u2019re stuck with \u2018whatever you want to cook\u2019 kinda challenges.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cIf they\u2019re cutting costs, just have a quick trip to somewhere interstate,\u201d another suggested. \u201cSurely the judges have chef friends where they can still have off-site challenges.\u201d<\/p>\n

Channel 10\u2019s defence of MasterChef format <\/p>\n

When asked about these predicted \u201cbudget cuts\u201d, a Channel 10 spokesperson explained what changes and \u201cfan favourite formats\u201d have made an appearance this year. <\/p>\n

\u201cMasterChef Australia has served up success again this year, with\u00a0Season 18 reaching its biggest total national audience since 2022,\u201d the spokesperson told WHO. \u201cIn addition to welcoming worldclass guest judges like Robert Irwin, Jimmy and Jane Barnes, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, this season of MasterChef brings back some fan favourite formats, including a return to Top 40 on-camera auditions, Invention Tests, and Beat\u00a0The\u00a0Chef.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, the spokesperson did add that \u201cthere are fewer team challenges this season, with four episodes per week.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe format is mostly as\u00a0follows, but\u00a0does vary across the season: Sunday nights are Mystery Box; Monday nights, elimination; Tuesday nights, Invention Test or Team Challenge; Wednesday nights, Pressure Test or Immunity,\u201d they said. \u201cAs a\u00a0result,\u00a0there is less room for\u00a0off-site\u00a0challenges.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0be more pleased with the sustained appetite for MasterChef Australia and its continually reinvigorated format.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Profile\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tFreja Newman\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

Freja Newman is a Digital Content Producer for WHO Magazine, writing entertainment and lifestyle content while also contributing to the publication\u2019s social media. She loves diving deep into iconic popular culture moments, as well as all the latest trends across fashion and wellness. With a degree in Media and Communications and International Relations from the University of Sydney, Freja has written and produced content for publications like Edinburgh Fringe Review and non-for-profits like UNICEF Australia. She is obsessed with storytelling in any and every form and is constantly online, earmarking the latest celebrity news, fashion trends, and film, TV and theatre releases. When it comes to social media, mini Freja\u2019s iMovie and Video Star phase prepared her well, as she\u2019s unafraid to get behind the camera and find new and exciting ways to make digital stories a success.<\/p>\n

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