George Calombaris, Gary Mehigan and Matt Preston are exploring their next small screen endeavours together after announcing their shock departure from Masterchef Australia.
The trio are preparing to develop new concepts under the banner of their own production company GGM, in which they’ll be pitching to streaming giants Netflix and Amazon.
However, the damage could be done to Calombaris’ brand, which has hurt his two MasterChef co-stars.
One media expert believes that a reality competition format on any streaming platforms won’t work, as streaming service cooking shows have had mixed reactions from fans.
Media analyst Steve Allan has said that the trio have become some of the biggest TV stars around due to their explosion on the television scene back in 2009.
“Each one of them have used MasterChef to get all kinds of lucrative deals — product sponsorships, TV commercials, appearances, food brands, kitchen appliances and tourism endorsements,” Mr Allen, boss of Fusion Strategy, said to news.com.au.
“Those kind of clients rely on those three being on screens several nights a week for months and months on end.
“Those streaming services they’re rumoured to be targeting are popular, but they don’t offer that kind of ongoing, long-running and saturation visibility.”
Allen says that the trio are in for a rude awakening as they could “find themselves being worth not quite as much to advertisers”.
“If they think they can get these kinds of deals without MasterChef, they’re completely wrong.”
View this post on Instagram@garymehigan’s face when he hears there’s gravy going spare… #masterchefau
Allen also thinks that Calombaris faces an impossible challenge to rehabilitate his toxic public profile after the Fair Work investigation into his $7.8 million underpayment of 500 staff.
“George hasn’t handled his issues very well at all,” he said. “I think it’s crazy.”
However, the trio seem insistent on working and staying together. There is a big unknown hanging over their head.
“What I think is the big unknown is these three being the stars of such a show,” Mr Allen said.
“There are a number of very well-established celebrity chefs who front a number of shows all over the world, especially in the US and UK.
“Can these guys compete with them? We’ll see.”
“It’ll be a tricky thing to get it right for these three,” he said. “It’s a hell of a gamble they’re taking.”
