Singapore
The casting call deadline has been extended to Friday (Apr 6).
Auditions are open for the Singapore version of MasterChef. (Image: mycastingnet.com)
SINGAPORE: The Singapore version of popular cooking competition MasterChef will be produced in English and will premiere on Mediacorp Channel 5.
The show was slated to debut in Mandarin on Mediacorp’s Channel 8 as the English rights to the show were initially unavailable. However, following further negotiations with rights owner Endemol Shine Group, the show will be produced in English and air later this year on Channel 5.
Mediacorp, the broadcast partner, and Motion Content Group, a global content investment and rights management company, confirmed this in a joint media release on Monday (Apr 2), adding that the casting call deadline has been extended till midnight on Friday or Apr 6.
“Since the casting call went out in February, we have been impressed by the high levels of interest and passion from the public. We look forward to meeting the best amateur chefs Singapore has to offer,” said Mr Steven Murphy of Motion Content Group, Asia Pacific.
Motion Content Group, which is a part of the global media management company GroupM, had acquired rights to produce and broadcast MasterChef Singapore from Endemol Shine Group, a global production company who is also behind TV hits such as Big Brother and Deal or No Deal, said in the release.
The show will be produced by local production company Beach House Pictures. The judges and key sponsors of the show will be announced at a later date.
Mr Parminder Singh, the Chief Commercial and Digital Officer at Mediacorp said: “People love watching our food shows – a whole variety of them with unique flavours and cooking inspirations – on our different channels. MasterChef has clearly struck a chord with many and we are delighted to be able to premiere it on 5, the channel that brings people in Singapore together, as well as Toggle, our digital entertainment service.”
The show was originally created by English film director Franc Roddam. The format was revived as MasterChef Goes Large in 2005 by Shine TV in the UK. It has been adapted locally in 54 countries, seen in over 200 countries and watched by over 250 million viewers globally. There are 10 local versions in the Asia Pacific region alone.
Those interested can apply online via www.masterchefsingapore.sg. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, a Singapore citizen or permanent resident, and cannot be a professional chef or have ever worked as one. Those who have sent in their application will be contacted directly for the selection process.
