Meghan Markle Confirms Major TV Role in Australia as She Prepares to Return for Junior MasterChef

Meghan Markle is heading back to Australia for a major television project, confirming she will co-host the upcoming season of Junior MasterChef Australia after describing the opportunity as an “easy yes.”

The Duchess of Sussex will join current MasterChef Australia judge Poh Ling Yeow for the new series, which is set to film in Melbourne next year. An exact production date has yet to be announced, although filming is expected to keep Meghan in Australia for several weeks.

The announcement marks another television appearance for Meghan, who has increasingly explored opportunities beyond her former acting career.

Meghan Explains Why She Accepted the Role

Meghan said her positive experience working with the MasterChef Australia team earlier this year made the decision to return an easy one.

“I had an incredible time with the whole team at MasterChef this past April, so when they approached me to come back and work with this young group of talent, it was an easy yes,” she said in a statement.

The Duchess also spoke about her enthusiasm for cooking with children, explaining that she was looking forward to seeing what the young contestants could create.

“I love cooking with my own kids, so seeing what these young stars create in the kitchen is going to be a lot of fun. I can’t wait to see what they cook up!”

Poh Ling Yeow, who will co-host the programme alongside Meghan, also welcomed the reunion.

“I had a lovely time filming with Meghan earlier this year, and being reunited will be a real treat,” she said. “I can’t wait to meet our pint-sized culinary adventurers.”

The new role follows Meghan’s guest appearance on MasterChef Australia in April, when she joined the cooking competition as an expert judge.

Her appearance came during Prince Harry and Meghan’s four-day visit to Australia. The Duchess stepped away from the couple’s tour to take part in the programme, where she was introduced as “a passionate foodie with global influence.”

Could Prince Harry and Their Children Join Her in Australia?

With production expected to run for several weeks, questions have emerged over whether Prince Harry and the couple’s children, Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, might accompany Meghan during her time in Australia.

An insider previously suggested that Harry and the children could join her, although no arrangements have been confirmed.

The family’s potential plans remain unclear, and the programme’s filming schedule has yet to be announced in detail.

Meghan’s return to Australia will nevertheless bring her back to a country she visited earlier this year, when the Sussexes’ itinerary placed an emphasis on charitable causes.

Another Television Opportunity After Her Acting Career

Meghan’s latest project comes as she continues to develop her television work. She previously fronted her own Netflix cooking series, With Love, Meghan, which centred on food, entertaining and lifestyle.

However, speculation about a return to scripted acting has also followed her in recent months.

Over the summer, rumours circulated that Meghan might appear in Netflix’s The Gentlemen, the crime drama directed by Guy Ritchie. The suggestion attracted attention, but a source cited by The Sun claimed there was no realistic prospect of her joining the production, reportedly responding, “Not a chance.”

Meghan has not taken a scripted acting role since leaving Suits in 2017.

In 2022, she discussed the possibility of returning to acting in an interview with Variety, making her position clear at the time.

“I’m done. I guess never say never, but my intention is to absolutely not,” she said.

Her upcoming Junior MasterChef Australia role is therefore another television project rather than a confirmed return to scripted drama.

The Sussexes’ Plans for the UK

The announcement also comes amid continuing interest in the Sussexes’ family arrangements and future plans.

In August, Harry and Meghan announced plans to return to the UK, six years after moving to the United States. They established a non-royal household and are no longer working royals, while continuing to pursue their own business interests.

It remains unclear how long they intend to stay in Britain. Archie and Lilibet are both enrolled in local schools, adding another consideration to the family’s arrangements.

The 77-year-old King Charles is believed to have welcomed the prospect of seeing more of his family privately.

Meanwhile, Meghan’s father, Thomas Markle Snr, made headlines last week after The Sun reported that he was being investigated over alleged child abuse images. Markle Snr has vehemently denied possessing child sexual abuse images following the newspaper’s investigation.

Prince William Also Makes a Surprise Television Appearance

Meghan is not the only member of the Royal Family to attract attention through a television appearance.

Prince William recently surprised viewers by appearing on the BBC’s The Graham Norton Show, where he joined Hollywood actress Cate Blanchett, Australian conservationist Robert Irwin and actress Hannah Waddingham.

The audience erupted in laughter as William revealed that he had once dreamed of pursuing a career that was far removed from traditional royal expectations.

His appearance added another unexpected royal moment to the television landscape, as Meghan prepares for her next on-screen role in Australia.

For now, the Duchess’s involvement in Junior MasterChef Australia is confirmed, but further details about filming dates and whether her family will join her remain unknown.