The cast of MasterChef Australia paid an emotional tribute to Jock Zonfrillo as they accepted the award for the Most Popular Reality Program at the 63rd TV WEEK Logie Awards in Sydney on Sunday night.
Zonfrillo, a former judge on the popular cooking show, died in Melbourne earlier this year.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Emotional tribute to Jock Zonfrillo at the Logies.
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Accepting the award, co-star Melissa Leong thanked the cast and viewers.
“Thank you so much to our incredible cast for constantly pouring out your hearts and souls and showing us who you are on the plate every single time,” she said, her voice wavering.
“And thank you so much for the audience for sticking with us, through thick and thin.
“Especially in the year that we’ve had.”
Then the show’s executive producer, Marty Benson, moved forward to say a few words as the rest of the cast hugged, looking tearful.
“As I stand here tonight, it’s still hard to believe that my mate and our amazing judge Jock is no longer with us,” he said.
“So, big man, this is 100 per cent dedicated to you.
“Tonight we are going to celebrate Jock-style.
“Please, everybody, give it up for Jock!”
The audience broke into emotion-packed applause.
Speaking after the win, a spokesman for MasterChef told 7Life: “It’s still incredibly shocking to us that this is going ahead without Jock.
“He just had this essence that was irrepressible and we feel it now that its gone and he’s not here.
“We don’t know what we’re going to do without him.”
Zonfrillo died the day before this year’s season of MasterChef was due to air.
The first episode was pushed back a week, but with the permission of Zonfrillo’s wife, Lauren Fried, the season went ahead featuring the beloved Scottish-born chef and judge.
After his death, Melissa Leong shared an impassioned message on social media.
“Four years ago, the three of us stood on a precipice and leapt together,” she wrote, sharing a throwback image from their first season as MasterChef judges back in 2019 along with Andy Allen.
“I could never have guessed how much of an impact your arrival in my life would have, or that we would be saying goodbye to you so soon.
“You were always supposed to be the bulletproof one who outlived us all.”
with Georgie Kearney
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