Melissa Leong’s career has taken a surprise pivot into the world of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
The former MasterChef Australia judge, 41, announced on Wednesday that she will be hosting UFC Fight Week on Kayo Sports and Foxtel on January 17.
She will be joined on the show by panellists Tyson Pedro and Dan Hooker, and the trio will offer commentary ahead of UFC 297 and interviewers with middleweight champions Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis.
The program will be replayed every day leading up to the event on January 21.
Melissa revealed her new gig on Wednesday by sharing behind-the-scenes photos and videos from her time filming the special via Instagram.
Melissa Leong ‘s career has taken a surprise pivot into the world of Ultimate Fighting Championship ( UFC ). The former MasterChef Australia judge, 41, announced on Wednesday that she will be hosting UFC Fight Week on Kayo Sports and Foxtel on January 17
‘Careful what you wish for… started watching UFC during the pandemic, just hosted Fight Week for UFC297,’ she wrote next to one image of herself posing on set.
‘I feel very fortunate [to] have been met with such kindness in this incredible space,’ she added.
In another post, Melissa mused: ‘And yes, why not begin by interviewing Strickland and Du Plessis… cos we don’t do things by halves.’
She will be joined on the show by panellists Tyson Pedro and Dan Hooker, and the trio will offer commentary ahead of UFC 297 and interviewers with middleweight champions Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis
Melissa recently declared her love for UFC in an interview with ABC Everyday, describing the martial arts sport as her ‘obsession’ and saying she was impressed by the fighters’ ‘incredible sportsmanship’.
‘It’s just like MasterChef. Everybody’s competing against one another and you don’t know what the other person’s going to bring out, so you need to bring your best, but also interpret on the fly,’ she said.
‘I love it, I really love it,’ the food critic added.
Melissa recently declared her love for UFC in an interview with ABC Everyday , describing the martial arts sport as her ‘obsession’ and saying she was impressed by the fighters’ ‘incredible sportsmanship’
Melissa was dropped from MasterChef last year amid rumours of a feud between herself and fellow judges Andy Allen and the late Jock Zonfrillo (both pictured), which she has denied
Melissa was dropped from MasterChef last year amid rumours of a feud between herself and fellow judges Andy Allen and the late Jock Zonfrillo, which she has denied.
She went on to host MasterChef spinoff series Dessert Masters alongside Amaury Guichon, who is billed as the world’s hottest pastry chef.
Melissa is also working on her upcoming SBS documentary series The Hospital: In The Deep End.
READ MORE: Dessert Masters judge Melissa Leong ‘considers new career role’
