Melissa Leong is opening up like never before in her new memoir, Guts, revealing personal struggles and experiences she has never publicly shared. At her home in Melbourne’s inner north, the former MasterChef judge said discussing her life multiple times a day is “mentally and emotionally challenging.”
Leong, known for hosting Dessert Masters, describes herself as an introvert who values privacy. Her memoir balances that need with vulnerability, detailing battles with depression, anxiety, loneliness during MasterChef, bulimia, self-harm, and sexual violence.
A recurring theme in Guts is Leong’s tendency to take bold risks. She shares stories of leaving a secure job to live on a sheep dairy in Tasmania and her divorce. “If you are going to push the big red button, you need to be prepared for some fallout,” she said. “There are certain things we can do for ourselves and our friends that don’t involve societal norms.”
Leong also reflects on her childhood in Sydney’s Sutherland Shire during the 1980s, chronic pain that halted a promising musical career, her early work as a makeup artist, leaving a corporate job, and entering the food writing industry, which she describes as hostile at the time. “There’s a little sweetness in running your own race and emerging triumphant,” she said. “Resistance gives you something tangible to push against.”
The 43-year-old titled her memoir Guts to capture the raw and challenging nature of life. “Life is not easy. Life is ugly and hard and unpredictable, and often less than ideal,” she said. Sharing her experiences, including a sexual assault that happened about 15 years ago, is intended to help others feel less alone. “These experiences are not unique to me. If I can articulate them so someone else can relate, that’s a success.”
Leong has learned to prioritise herself after years of people-pleasing. “I wanted to make others happy to the detriment of my health, wealth, and self,” she said. She jokes that age or perimenopause may be helping her care less about others’ opinions.
She also reflects on her time as the first female MasterChef judge in 2020, facing criticism from the start and further scrutiny following the death of cohost Jock Zonfrillo in 2023. She describes the show as “a set of golden handcuffs” – rewarding but also limiting. “I learned and grew a lot, but I also wanted to keep moving so expectations didn’t hold me back,” she said.
Leong has taken unexpected turns in her career, including hosting UFC Fight Week, pursuing jiujitsu, and filming a new show in New Zealand called Taste of Art. She is also competing in The Amazing Race Australia: Celebrity Edition, finding freedom in letting go of control. “Being uncomfortable teaches us valuable lessons,” she said.
Her philosophy guided her memoir, ensuring she did not sugarcoat the darker aspects of her life. “If I’m going to tell my story, I’m going to tell my story. The last few years have been about survival, but I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished,” she said.
Guts by Melissa Leong is now available (Murdoch Books, $34.99). Support for those affected by rape or sexual abuse is available through 1800Respect, The Butterfly Foundation, Beyond Blue, and Lifeline.
