New MasterChef: The Professionals judge Matt Tebbutt has reportedly been axed from the programme after just one series.
Tebbutt, 52, was announced as the new presenter alongside mainstay judges Marcus Wareing and Monica Galetti, replacing the scandal-hit Gregg Wallace, in September 2025 and made his debut on the current series, which began airing in February.
It had been teased as a new era for the spin-off show after Tebbutt joined the team, and with production moving to a new studio location in Birmingham.
However, bosses at the popular show have reportedly decided that ‘three was a bit of a crowd’ and are moving ahead with just Wareing and Galetti at the helm for the next series.
Producers at Banijay, who make the show for the BBC, are instead said to be planning on bringing Saturday Kitchen star Tebbutt back as a guest judge in the future as there were no issues with his performance.
‘There might be a few eyebrows raised that Matt isn’t staying on given he has just joined,’ a source told The Sun.
‘He didn’t do anything wrong and will definitely come back to the series as a guest in the future.
‘But bosses simply realised that they could get away with just having Marcus and Monica at the helm, especially as their chemistry is great and they have a tight relationship.’
The insider added that Tebbutt had ‘taken it all in his stride and has plenty of other work to keep him busy’, with MasterChef: The Professionals having been ‘brilliant exposure for him’.
A Banijay spokesperson told the outlet: ‘No decisions have been made yet about the presenting line up for the future series of MasterChef. We won’t comment on speculation.’
The latest series also had a rotation of guest judges in the format.
When it was announced last autumn that he would be joining the kitchen competition series for chefs, Tebbutt called it ‘an absolute honour to be working alongside these two titans of the food world’ in reference to Wareing and Galetti.
‘Their knowledge and uncompromising attitude is now the stuff of legend and I look forward to them taking me under their wing and seeing the chefs get off to a flying start in the competition!’
Discussing it on Saturday Kitchen at the time, he awkwardly added: ‘This is quite embarrassing, not embarrassing, I’m excited that I’m the new judge on MasterChef: The Professionals.
‘It’s gonna be great fun, very excited, and I promise I won’t mess it up for anyone who is wondering.’
His appointment came after MasterChef hosts Wallace and John Torode were removed from the show after an independent review last year.
The review upheld 45 out of 83 misconduct allegations against the former and substantiated the use of racial language with the latter, although he doesn’t recall the incident.
Last month Wallace discontinued his High Court claim against the BBC, suing them for up to £10,000 in damages after he alleged they failed to disclose his personal data. He claimed this caused him ‘distress and harassment’.
A BBC spokesperson confirmed on February 27 that Wallace had dropped the case: ‘Shortly in advance of a hearing, due February 16, Mr Wallace discontinued his claim.
‘He is not receiving any payment in costs or damages from either BBC or BBC Studios.’
The BBC’s defence previously alleged that Wallace pursued his claim without giving it prior notice, and that it had provided him with a copy of his personal data in October.
Metro has contacted reps for Matt Tebbutt, Banijay and the BBC for comment.
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