Jamie Oliver, who pops up on Channel 4 tonight in Jamie: What to Eat This Week, shared his pain earlier this year over the loss of fellow chef Jock Zonfrillo.
Scottish presenter Jock passed away at the end of April 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. He was aged 46.
A judge on Masterchef Australia, Jock had worked in a London restaurant of Gordon Ramsay’s in the 1990s.
He was also formerly a colleague of Jamie’s – and the Naked Chef star hailed Jock in a touching tribute: “I can’t tell how good it was to work with him!”

Jamie Oliver was asked to step in following death of MasterChef pal (Credit: YouTube)

‘It’s a tough year’
Following Jock’s death, Jamie was approached by producers of the cooking show from Down Under. He had cameoed in two shows in the final series Jock appeared in.
Speaking in April of this year, Jamie said he reckoned the show hit the right tone after losing Jock.
He said at the time to Woman’s Weekly Australia: “[I] came for two days last year. This year it felt more appropriate to help and bed in and launch the judges. They call me a judge, but really, I’m a guest judge and it’s been amazing.”
Everyone’s thinking of Jock.
Jamie added: “It’s a tough year but full of celebration and I think everyone’s thinking of Jock in the decision-making process. I am, and I think we’ve done it right.”

Glaswegian cookery star Jock Zonfrillo was just 46 when he passed away in 2023 (Credit: YouTube)