George Calombaris QUITS MasterChef along with Matt Preston and Gary Mehigan 'because Ten refused to hand him a six-figure rise' – after underpaying his staff nearly $8million
- George Calombaris is leaving Masterchef after a storm over underpaying staff
- Tonight's finale will be the last for judges Matt Preston and Gary Mehigan
- Ten said it 'has not been able to reach a commercial agreement' with the trio
- The move is understood to relate to a pay dispute with Network Ten
- There will be a 12th season of the hit show with new judges in 2020
George Calombaris is leaving MasterChef amid demands he be dumped from the reality cooking show for underpaying his restaurant staff nearly $8million.
In a shock announcement, Network Ten has confirmed the program's finale tonight will likewise be the last for veteran judges Matt Preston and Gary Mehigan.
In a statement - which avoided mentioning Calombaris's scandal - Ten's CEO Paul Anderson claimed the decision followed months of failed talks with the chefs.
Reports have claimed the trio chose to walk away from the program after Ten refused to give them a significant pay boost.
George Calombaris is leaving MasterChef after a storm of controversy for underpaying his staff nearly $8million. Judges Matt Preston and Gary Mehigan are leaving the show too
Mr Anderson said: 'Despite months of negotiations, Ten has not been able to reach a commercial agreement that was satisfactory to Matt, Gary and George.
'We would like to thank Gary, George and Matt for their contribution over the past 11 years.'
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The network chief confirmed there will be a 12th season of the cooking show - with new judges - in 2020.
'Australia is full of remarkable cooking talent and we can't wait to introduce another group - and the next generation of exception judges - in season 12 of MasterChef Australia next year,' Mr Anderson said.
Unions and Calombaris's own workers had called for the MasterChef judge to be dropped. And now it has been confirmed he and his two co-stars will not be returning
Calombaris was fined $200,000 by the Fair Work Ombudsman after it found he had underpaid 515 staff between 2011 and 2017 to the tune of $7.8 million.
The scandal surrounding Mr Calombaris' company, Made Establishment, first came to light in 2017 but boiled over in the wake of action by the Ombudsman this week.
The star has blamed the issue at his high profile Melbourne restaurants - including Hellenic Republic, Press Club and Gazi - on 'historically poor processes'.
Unions and his own workers had called for Network Ten to dump Calombaris and even the TV station itself was unsparing in its news coverage of the TV chef's sins.
Former Hellenic Republic waitress turned union organiser Orlaith Belfrage said Calombaris should pay 'a serious price' for the wage theft
MASTERCHEF JUDGES GONE: FULL STATEMENT FROM NETWORK TEN
GONE: George Calombaris, Matt Preston and Gary Mehigan will not return to the MasterChef set
Network Ten today announced that Matt Preston, Gary Mehigan and George Calombaris will not return as judges in the next season of MasterChef Australia.
Network Ten chief executive officer Paul Anderson said: 'Despite months of negotiation, Ten has not been able to reach a commercial agreement that was satisfactory to Matt, Gary and George.
'Across 11 sensational seasons, MasterChef Australia has established itself as one of the most popular and respected cooking television series around the world.
'For more than a decade, the iconic series has shaped and driven the Australian public's passion for food and cooking, delivered iconic television moments, and made the culinary dreams of everyday home cooks come true.
'We would like to thank Gary, George and Matt for their contribution over the past 11 years.
'MasterChef Australia has always been about ordinary Australians doing extraordinary things for the love of food and we believe it is very important to continue that ethos.
'Australia is full of remarkable cooking talent and we can't wait to introduce another group - and the next generation of exception judges - in season 12 of MasterChef Australia next year'.
Former Hellenic Republic waitress turned union organiser Orlaith Belfrage was thrilled at news Calombaris had been dumped.
'This is a good day for workers. Let us hope that this marks a change in culture of the hospitality industry, particularly where high-profile success is built off the back of wage theft from workers,' she told Daily Mail Australia.
She previously said he should be taken off the show.
'How many more excuses does George get?' she said.
Former waiter Aidan Carter told Daily Mail Australia this week that Calombaris should be replaced by a chef who does the right thing.
'Chefs who are doing the right thing should be rewarded.
'The people who are real beacons for the hospitality industry, somebody who has a really positive image and somebody who promotes the law basically and promotes the idea of everyone being paid,' he said.
The long-running show's ratings have jumped despite the scandal.
Calombaris was dropped as the face of a Tourism Western Australia advertising campaign as a result of the scandal late last week.
GEORGE CALOMBARIS'S STAFF LASH OUT AT MASTERCHEF JUDGE
As George Calombaris gears up for Tuesday night's MasterChef grand finale, workers have told Daily Mail Australia he is continuing to dupe Australians.
Former Hellenic Republic waiter Aidan Carter said the MasterChef judge had scant regard for his workers' mental health.
Former Hellenic Republic waiter Aidan Carter continues to fight George Calombaris' company over unpaid holiday leave loading. He claims the company has practically ignored workers
'It is quite poisonous - it's a hard thing on everyone's mental health I think. There would be so many issues within the industry,' he said.
Mr Carter worked at Calombaris' restaurant for five years - four of which he claimed he was underpaid.
The ex-employee said like many in the hospitality industry, he worked anywhere up to 55 hours a week, but was paid for just 38.
Others had worked up to 70.
He was also short paid on dodgy casual rates.
When he worked out his actual rights under the award, he had missed out on significant back pay.
'I think they are putting out the message that everyone has been paid, but there is a small group of us who have been in contact (with the company) for at least 18 months now and I'm really getting no response,' he said.
Mr Carter said it felt as if Calombaris' company, Made Establishment, was ignoring the issue.
One employee was unable to even obtain their full-time pay slips, Mr Carter said.
'They're really stalling it. In the past they really hoped it would go away and now it's obviously resurfaced again, but it hasn't really kicked them into action unfortunately and it's upsetting to see that the image he's selling that people are believing everyone has been paid and it's over now, but there are still people fighting for payments,' he said.
