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³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Worldwide Australia has completed a deal with subscription television network XYZnetworks that will bring more of the latest series of the original British MasterChef and franchises out of UK kitchens and into Australian households from later this year.

XYZnetworks LifeStyle FOOD Channel has licensed MasterChef series 7 (17x50'), Junior MasterChef series 1 (13x30'), Celebrity MasterChef series 5 (13x60') and MasterChef: the Professionals series 3 (30x45') establishing itself as the home of the original MasterChef brand.

In the new series of MasterChef, discerning judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace return to put more undiscovered chefs through their paces with a series of increasingly difficult cooking tasks in this iconic amateur cooking show.

The first full British series of the phenomenal spin-off success, Junior MasterChef gives children who love cooking their own chance to become a MasterChef champion. Amateur cooks aged between nine and 12 years old are challenged to showcase their skills to MasterChef judge John Torode, and former Celebrity MasterChef winner Nadia Sawalha.

Celebrity MasterChef S5 sees temperatures rise as 20 celebrities, including an athlete, an actor, a TV presenter and a politician’s wife, sauté, season and stir it out to see who will take the 2010 crown.

Legendary double Michelin-starred chef Michel Roux Jnr and sous chef Monica Galetti will join Gregg Wallace again for MasterChef: the Professionals (S3), the search for the chef who has the skills, commitment, palette and style to make it one day to a Michelin standard.

"This deal is a testament to our very fruitful and long-standing relationship with XYZnetworks," said Annette Kollek, ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Worldwide's Sales Manager, Subscription Television. "We are pleased to present the latest UK formats of Australia's most successful cooking franchise on the home of food programming in this territory."

"LifeStyle FOOD is the home of MasterChef UK in Australia. We're really excited to be premiering the new franchises in 2011," said Hannah Barnes, Director of Programming and Acquisitions, XYZnetworks. "³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Worldwide is one of our most important suppliers and we're delighted to continue to work with them in this way."

All series mentioned above are a Shine TV production in association with Ziji Productions for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ.

NOTES TO EDITORS
About XYZnetworks
XYZnetworks owns and operates eight leading brands including The LifeStyle Channel, LifeStyle FOOD, LifeStyle YOU, Channel [V], [V] HITS, MAX, Country Music Channel and The Weather Channel. XYZnetworks also owns Arena TV, distributes global giant Discovery Channel and jointly owns kids powerhouse Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. Collectively the channels reach more than 4.3 million* television viewers. XYZnetworks is equally owned by FOXTEL and AUSTAR. *Source – OzTam

Fiona Bickerstaff