In a rare and deeply emotional television special, 7NEWS Spotlight will air the first public interview with Lauren Zonfrillo, the widow of beloved MasterChef Australia judge Jock Zonfrillo, nearly two years after his untimely death. The episode, hosted by veteran journalist Liz Hayes, promises an unflinching look at love, loss, and the slow, complicated journey of healing.
Lauren, who has remained largely out of the public eye since her husband’s passing in May 2023, opens up about the impact of Jock’s sudden death on her life and the lives of their children. In the interview, she shares previously unseen family footage and delves into the private struggles she’s faced since that life-altering moment.
“Did I Do Enough?”: Lauren’s Questions in the Wake of Loss
In a preview clip for the 7NEWS Spotlight special, Lauren is seen reflecting on the emotional turmoil she has endured since Jock’s passing.
“Could I have been a better wife? Did I love him enough? Did I do enough?” she asks, her voice trembling with vulnerability.
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These are the questions that have haunted her as she grappled with not only the death of her partner but also the overwhelming responsibility of parenting two young children while navigating her own grief.
From Parenthood to Paralyzing Grief: “I Was Trying to Avoid My Kids”
Among the most arresting parts of the interview is Lauren’s candid admission about how she distanced herself from her children, Alfie (now 7) and Isla (4), in the aftermath of Jock’s death.
“I was trying to avoid my kids, actually. It was just such hard work,” she tells Hayes. “I would go out for dinner by myself once a week… solo date night… and I’d probably go out another night with a friend… babysitter after babysitter after babysitter.”
She recalls returning home to chaos and rebellion—her children staying up late and misbehaving in her absence. “These kids were a gang who just wanted these babysitters gone. They wanted me,” she says. “I just kept going out.”
A Conversation with Her Therapist Changed Everything
It was only after an emotional breakthrough in therapy that Lauren was able to shift her perspective. Her therapist told her something she initially found offensive: “You tapped out of parenting and you tapped into you.”
But as the conversation continued, the meaning became clearer.
“You had to tap out of something and you couldn’t tap out of you, because you had to build you and your mind and body back to be able to tap back into parenting,” the therapist explained. “The kids were durable—they’ll be okay. You need some time.”
That conversation, while painful, gave Lauren permission to forgive herself.
“It’s extremely selfish, and it is in a way you abandoned the children in a time of need,” she says. “But [my therapist] said, ‘You have no strength to do it, so that’s not bad.’”
The Road to Recovery: Memoir Set for Release
Lauren’s interview comes just days before the release of her memoir, Till Death Do Us Part: Life Without Jock and Learning to Live with Intention, scheduled to launch on May 6, 2025. In it, she documents the emotional extremes of life after loss, offering support and solidarity to others who may be grieving.
In a video announcement for the book, Lauren shared that the writing process was anything but therapeutic.
“It was not at all cathartic,” she said. “I re-read journals from some very dark and broken places and probably undid a bit of my progress, to be honest. But it did make me think deeper about some really complex parts of grief.”
She says she hopes the book will serve as a lifeline for anyone reaching out for something—anything—to hold onto during their darkest moments.
Jock’s Legacy: A Life Cut Short, A Love That Endures
Jock Zonfrillo, the charismatic Scottish chef and television personality, was found dead in a hotel room in Melbourne on April 30, 2023. His death, just one day before the new season of MasterChef Australia was set to premiere, sent shockwaves through Australia and beyond. To this day, his official cause of death has not been publicly disclosed.
Lauren, who was in Rome at the time with their two children, raised the alarm after she couldn’t reach her husband by phone. Police conducted a welfare check and made the devastating discovery.
The couple’s love story began in 2014 after connecting over Twitter. Their bond quickly deepened through daily conversations until Jock flew from Adelaide to Sydney to meet her in person. “When she walked through the door she smiled, and I just knew,” Jock wrote in his own memoir. “We were going to be a thing, and it was going to be wonderful.”
They married on New Year’s Day in 2017 and welcomed two children together, joining Jock’s daughters Ava and Sofia from previous relationships.
A Month Later: The First Public Statement
In June 2023, one month after Jock’s death, Lauren shared an emotional video via Jock’s Instagram account.
“I put in a line in the sand thinking that at the one-month mark I would turn some kind of corner,” she said. “Obviously, that hasn’t happened.”
She expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support from fans around the world, many of whom had never met Jock but were deeply moved by his passion, charisma, and culinary talent.
“I really wish that he knew how loved he was, and he knew the impact that he had on so many people,” she said.
Continuing Jock’s Work and Legacy
Lauren also spoke of her responsibility in managing Jock’s legacy, revealing that he had been working on multiple creative projects before his death.
“He’s got a lot of behind-the-scenes interviews and photos from MasterChef. He’s got books, a fashion range. He’s got spirits ageing in a distillery in Tassie. He’s got a TV show he filmed in Italy last year with the family,” she shared.
Lauren continues to manage his public account and often turns to his followers for guidance on what to share and what to keep private. “Somehow we will work out whether there’s a path forward here or if we don’t do anything at all.”
What Comes Next: A Memoir, A Legacy, A Light in the Darkness
As Lauren continues to grieve, parent, and rebuild her life, she hopes that sharing her story will bring comfort and community to others who are navigating similar journeys.
“For those going through loss,” she said, “I am writing this book so that your hands can land on it when you are reaching out in the darkness for something, anything, that might give you stability.”
