The Duchess of Sussex has been confirmed as a co-host of the new season of Junior MasterChef Australia.

Meghan will join the 2027 series as a “special guest” with fellow host Poh Ling Yeow, according to Australia’s Channel 10.

The duchess said she “can’t wait” to take part in the programme after an appearance as a guest judge on MasterChef Australia last year. It was the show’s largest Sunday audience since 2023, according to the statement from Paramount ANZ.

The announcement comes as Meghan faces increased scrutiny due to her father Thomas Markle being accused of child sexual abuse. He denies the allegations.

The BBC understands Meghan broke contact with her father last year, telling him she and authorities knew he had abused young girls.

Markle has strongly rejected the accusations as “lies” which are being used to destroy his reputation.

Meghan’s return to Australia follows a four-day tour of the country she and Prince Harry undertook in April.

Meghan’s MasterChef debut was announced on the second day of the tour, a Wednesday on which the duchess had been notably absent from public-facing appearances. That evening, it was revealed she had been filming an episode of the programme.

It is understood she was not paid for her appearance. Australia’s Network 10, which airs the series as part of Paramount ANZ, did not respond to a question from the BBC about whether Meghan would be paid for co-hosting the Junior MasterChef season.

“I love cooking with my own kids, so seeing what these young stars create in the kitchen is going to be a lot of fun,” Meghan said in a statement.

In August, the Sussexes announced they were moving back to the UK from California. The couple left the UK and stepped back from their royal duties in early 2020, before settling in California in March that year.

They embarked on media careers which included a high-profile interview with Oprah Winfrey and a deal with Netflix and Spotify.

Meghan’s lifestyle and cookery show on Netflix, With Love, Meghan, ran for two series and a Christmas special but did not perform well with audiences.

She also launched lifestyle brand As Ever, which includes a food range, but in March it ended its partnership with the streaming platform.

Last year her trademark was registered in more than a dozen product categories in Australia, including cookware and table linen.