Sanjeev Kapoor to judge MasterChef India

News is out that celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor will replace Ajay Chopra in the panel of judges in the third season of the show.

After a marathon run of earlier seasons of MasterChef Australia, followed byJunior MasterChef on Star World, most fans of the show were left wondering whether the next season of the Indian version would launch anytime soon. Now, news is out that celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor will replace Ajay Chopra in the panel of judges in the third season of the show.

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A source close to the shows says, “Kapoor is not only an immensely popular personality but also has a huge fan following. He has hosted many shows on TV and bringing him on board will add a lot of value to the show.”

While season one featured actor Akshay Kumar with chefs Kunal Kapoor and Ajay Chopra as judges, the second season saw chef Vikas Khanna replacing Kumar. However, the show did not do well in terms of the TRPs it scored. That explains the move on the part of the makers to get the new, popular judge on board.

Ask Chopra about his absence on the show and he says, “The show is a big franchise and I am still part of it. The creative team is working on making the property bigger. I have my personal commitments, which are not matching with the dates needed. And due to these unforeseen circumstances I wont be able to do this season. I have been associated with the show for two years and it’s a big brand. But you will see me again in Junior MasterChef India which might air in the summer of 2013.”

Auditions for Masterchef India will start in two weeks.