Former MasterChef runner-up Poh Ling Yeow has spoken out about returning to the reality cooking show as a contestant and not one of its new judges.
WATCH: Poh Ling Yeow reveals she will be a mentor on MasterChef
Speaking to The Daily Telegraph on Monday, the 47-year-old said that being a contestant was always her intention – despite the whispers she would return as a judge.
“I had my eye on coming back and being a contestant the whole time because I’ve always loved the competition so much and for me that’s what is kind of ingrained in me now,’’ Poh said.
She went on to say that, prior to the new judges being announced, she didn’t take the rumours too seriously because there were plenty of names being thrown around at the time.
As it turns out, the new judges ended up being season four winner Andy Allen, food and travel writer Melissa Leong, and Scottish celebrity chef Jock Zonfrillo.
Poh also took to Instagram on Wednesday to let fans know why she made the decision to appear on the reality show.
“I keep getting asked why I said yes to a second round of lunacy and the answer is the same every time,” Poh wrote in the length post.
“Yes, MasterChef has helped me kick open a lot of professional doors but the alongside the rad stuff I learnt to cook was a personal journey that ran much deeper.
“As a 35-year-old woman I felt like many parts of me were still unexpressed until then. I was still shaking off that childhood voice of doubt and feelings of never fitting in.
“So to everyone who has followed and supported my funny little career from then till now, thank u for helping me to understand and harness my capabilities.
“I’m back to peel off more layers – wherever I land in this comp is a bonus,” she added, before urging people to be kind on social media.
Poh is appearing on the latest season of MasterChef alongside other notable alumni, including Hayden Quinn, Reynold Poernomo and Callum Hann.