Gary Mehigan: TV chef now free for more podcasting
Former MasterChef TV judge Gary Mehigan was very ambitious when he first started his relationship with PodcastOne. He recorded two series of his podcast A Plate To Call Home with a total of 32 episodes.
He found it difficult to keep up that pace when it came to recording a third season. Mehigan and his MasterChef colleagues George Calombaris and Matt Preston spent so much of the year working on the TV series, they eventually became frustrated at not being able to pursue other projects. It was ultimately one of the reasons they stepped away from the show.
“MasterChef takes an enormous amount of time out of the year – six to seven months plus time for publicity,” Mehigan told Mediaweek. “I have managed to get a short third season of podcasts together, but there are lots of foodie conversations to come.
Mehigan added there is much exciting him about life post-MasterChef. “There will be more smaller projects instead of MasterChef, which was a giant of a commitment – more podcasting for sure.
“The three of us made a promise than when MasterChef started to feel like a job, it deserved to go to someone else who would approach it as we used to. For me, last year and this year, it started to feel a little like a chore halfway through the season because there was so much else I wanted to do in the food space.”
Mehigan said the feedback he received from previous podcast seasons has been wonderful and one of the things that keeps him releasing more. “We have had many very different foodies. Some have been producers, others have been chefs.”
He recommends that listening to his Pete Evans podcast is a good place to start series three. “I could probably have done three podcasts with Pete because he has so much to say. People have different opinions of him and his public portrayal. But if you listen you will probably hear a different side to him. Much more than you would normally get from mainstream media.
“I found him fascinating and also the media scrutiny he has been under. I have followed him on Instagram for two years, and I just thought there had to be more to him. Pete makes a lot of sense, he’s not at all like the person that is portrayed in the media where what he says is dragged down and sensationalised.”
Other guests in series three include Gorgi Coghlan and Jane Kennedy.
Meantime Mehigan keeps making content for Indian TV – a series called Masters of Taste for Banijay. “Last year we had to do five weeks of filming in three weeks because of other commitments. The joy was stripped out of it because I was trying to get back for the start of MasterChef.”
Regarding the next project for Gary, Matt and George, Mehigan said: “We have opportunities for next year and we all hope to be working again sooner rather than later.”
Could we see the trio walking out onstage together at a TV upfront in October for Seven or Nine?
Listen to A Plate To Call Home here.
Maintaining health through motherhood
Amelia Philips is the host of Healthy Her, a PodcastOne series dedicated to maintaining health throughout motherhood.
A fitness and nutrition expert, TV presenter, and co-founder of the Michelle Bridges 12-Week Body Transformation, Phillips has created a series dedicated to helping women maintain a healthy lifestyle for themselves and their families.
Across nine episodes, Phillips, who is a mum of four and has over two decades experience in the health and wellbeing industry, speaks to the top parenting, fitness and medical experts across a range of topics – how you can thrive when you’re sleep deprived, learning to love your post-baby body, how to balance career with kids, and keeping your relationship with your partner on track.
“We need to nurture ourselves in a holistic way and that’s why I’m so excited about Healthy Her,” Phillips said.
“These conversations will educate, reassure and most importantly inspire us mums to make small changes to live that little bit healthier.”
Have a Short Black with Sandra Sully
10 News First journalist and presenter Sandra Sully talks candidly to a series of intriguing and inspiring women who have something interesting to say, about what really matters in her new podcast from 10 Speaks, Short Black With Sandra Sully.
As a campaigner, author and women’s advocate, Sully is committed to giving a voice to women who are trying to make a difference.
Sully said: “Clearly as a journalist I love telling stories and I’ve had the great privilege throughout my career to meet so many well-known and not so well known women whose stories, I believe, need to be told.
“This podcast series shines a light on interesting women doing extraordinary things – be it career trajectory, maximising opportunities, risking it all or daring to be different.”
Network 10’s director of news content Ross Dagan said: “The range of women Sandra has lined up to speak with is nothing short of outstanding.
“She is masterful at helping lead them through their stories. We gain inspiration and understanding as a result of her enthusiasm for Short Black. As Sandra approaches her 30th year at Network 10, we are proud that she will extend her talents to 10 Speaks to deliver these exclusive interviews.”
The first episode features founder of the Kindness Factory, Kath Koschel. New episodes will be released fortnightly on Tuesdays.
Listen to Short Black With Sandra Sully here.
Talking Rugby ahead of World Cup
Another new 10 Speaks podcast launched this week is Talking Rugby With Matt Burke. Burke will deliver a weekly insight into the players’ mindset during the Rugby World Cup, the way only a Rugby World Cup winning Wallaby can. Burke has a direct line to some of the biggest names in the game and he’s got them lined-up too.
First off the bench is Wallabies legend David Campese. In later episodes, Nick Farr-Jones and John Eales also get a call up with more big names to come.
Matt Burke said: “I remember as a player not only the intensity of a Rugby World Cup, but the fantastic memories that come from it and I wanted to share some of those memories from my playing days. Not only do we talk World Cup history with some of the greats of the game, but we plan to also have some very candid conversations within the current playing group at this year’s Rugby World Cup.”
Listen to Talking Rugby with Matt Burke here.
