Reality TV

“It has brought us such happiness to walk together”: MasterChef judge Melissa Leong announces split from husband Joe Jones

''We wish you peace at the end of such a challenging year for all.''
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At a time of year where our social media feeds are usually filled with diamond rings and stories of proposals, we’ve sadly also been seeing news of couples splitting.

Last week fans were saddened to learn Zoe Ventoura and Dan MacPherson had called it quits.

And now, beloved MasterChef Australia judge Melissa Leong has made a similar announcement.

Taking to Instagram, the TV foodie revealed she and husband Joe Jones had decided to separate.

Melissa shared this snap from her Californian wedding.

(Instagram)

“It has brought us such happiness to walk together, but the time has come for Joe and I to part ways and walk on, apart,” she began.

“We ask for your kindness and consideration for our privacy, we will not be making any further comment as our private lives have, and will always remain exactly that”

“We wish you peace at the end of such a challenging year for all.”

Following suit of Zoe and Dan, Melissa turned off her comments on the post.

The MasterChef judge met her husband three years ago.

(Instagram)

Speaking to TV WEEK in June this year Melissa revealed she and bar owner hubby, Joe, had gotten engaged after just three months of dating – and married two months after that.

“When you know you know,” she said.

“I first met him briefly at his bar in Melbourne Romeo Lane,” she recalls.

“Then we met again properly about 18 months later at a function. We started talking there and we’ve just not ever ceased since really. It’s pretty cool.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CB7lHToAk9c/

Melissa explained that after mutually deciding to get engaged three months into their relationship, they decided to get on with the nuptials pronto too.

“I planned our elopement in between takes while filming another TV show [SBS’s The Chef’s Line],” Melissa says.

“When that wrapped, we went to Joshua Tree in California and eloped. It was all very fun.”

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