'MasterChef' Getting Another Spinoff

By Daniel S. Levine

The MasterChef franchise is getting another member with Young MasterChef. The new series was announced last week and will air on BBC Three in the U.K. The reality competition franchise has already included Junior MasterChef, Celebrity MasterChef, and MasterChef: The Professionals.

Young MasterChef will introduce viewers to up-and-coming chefs between the ages of 18 and 25, according to the BBC's announcement. The young chefs will present their culinary creations to a panel of expert judges and guests, who will be announced later. They will face challenges "designed to push them to new culinary heights and reflect Britain's food revolution – where a new generation of young foodies are rewriting the rules," according to the announcement. Applicants do not need any previous experience, and U.K. residents can already apply by clicking here.

"We're delighted that Young MasterChef will be coming to BBC Three," BBC Entertainment chief Kate Phillips said in a statement. "We know how much BBC viewers love MasterChef and the BBC Three series will be a great opportunity to tap into the huge wealth of young budding chefs out there, from all over the U.K."

"With its focus on the culinary talent of tomorrow, Young MasterChef has all the ingredients to be a big success for us and we can't wait to watch the next generation of food lovers from across the UK cook up a storm on BBC Three," BBC Three Controller Fiona Campbell said. The series will be produced by Shine TV. A premiere date has not been announced yet.

The original MasterChef series launched in the U.K. in 1990 and ran until 2001. It was revived in 2005 as MasterChef Goes Large, but went back to the basic MasterChef title in 2008. Following a short-lived U.S. version on PBS in 2000-2001, a much more successful version launched on Fox in 2010 with Gordon Ramsay hosting. There has also been a U.S. adaptation of MasterChef Junior, also featuring Ramsay.

Although Ramsay isn't involved in the latest MasterChef U.K. projects, he remains busy with Fox's shows. In August 2021, Ramsay signed an overall deal with Fox Entertainment and established Studio Ramsay Global. The deal was reportedly worth nine figures, reports Deadline. Fox Alternative Entertainment will now serve as the new production company behind Ramsay's shows. In addition to the two MasterChef series, Ramsay also hosts Fox's Hell's Kitchen and Next Level, Chef, which just launched in January.

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