MasterChef México launches 24/7 broadcast

TV Azteca put MasterChef México into a round-the-clock format on May 17, opening a live feed that follows contestants beyond the weekly gala and regular primetime episodes. The broadcaster said the new season, branded “MasterChef 24/7,” combines a continuous stream with scheduled broadcasts on Azteca Uno and digital distribution across its own platforms. (tvazteca.com) The first gala aired Sunday night, May 17, with Claudia Lizaldi returning as host and chefs Adrián Herrera, Zahie Téllez and Poncho Cadena back on the judging panel, according to TV Azteca’s MasterChef pages. (tvazteca.com) Leslie Gallardo and Antonio Betancourt were introduced as digital hosts tied to the expanded online coverage. (tvazteca.com) The launch marks a format change for a franchise that Excélsior described as a reinvention after nearly 11 years in Mexico. TV Azteca’s own coverage presented the shift as a live, always-on version of the competition, with viewers able to track cooking, convivencia and eliminations more closely than in prior seasons. (tvazteca.com) ### Where can viewers actually watch the 24/7 feed? On May 18, TV Azteca said the live transmission was available through its website, app, YouTube, TikTok and Disney+. Before that update, the broadcaster had said the digital version would be carried through Disney+ and Azteca Uno’s online transmission, alongside the linear TV premiere. (tvazteca.com) Variety reported last week that Disney+ Mexico expanded its agreement with TV Azteca to include rights to livestream “MasterChef 24/7.” That deal placed the cooking reality show inside a broader distribution push for TV Azteca programming on Disney’s streaming service in Mexico. (intermediosweb.mx) ### How does the schedule work outside the live stream? TV Azteca said the show still keeps a fixed television schedule even with the continuous feed. The broadcaster said Azteca Uno will air regular programming tied to the season from Monday to Friday at 8:30 p.m., while Sunday broadcasts begin at 8:00 p.m. (tvazteca.com) The first gala started at 8:00 p.m. on May 17, with a preshow beginning at 7:30 p.m. across TV Azteca’s social channels and Azteca Uno, according to the network’s launch coverage. (variety.com) ### What changes inside the competition under the new format? TV Azteca said weekly voting is built into the season and told viewers that audience participation would be key during the week. The network also published instructions on how to vote to support a favorite cook, making public input part of the show’s mechanics rather than a side feature. (tvazteca.com) By May 18, TV Azteca said the audience was helping decide who would take the final place in a field that would officially reach 22 contestants. The network also published lists of early “mandil blanco” winners and updates on participants at risk of missing the cast. (tvazteca.com) ### Who is on screen in this edition? Claudia Lizaldi fronts the televised show, while Adrián Herrera, Zahie Téllez and Poncho Cadena return as the core chefs, TV Azteca said. The broadcaster’s pages also identify Julio Vázquez among the cooks featured in its coverage and list Gallardo and Betancourt as the digital hosts following the around-the-clock stream. (tvazteca.com) TV Azteca’s video and article pages from May 17 and May 18 also referenced additional culinary figures presented as “Maestros del Fuego,” including Édgar Núñez, Lili Cuéllar, Diego Niño and Isabel Carvajal. ### What is at stake for the winner? (tvazteca.com) TV Azteca said on May 17 that the champion of MasterChef 24/7 will receive 2 million pesos and a trophy. The network disclosed the prize during launch-night coverage as it introduced the stakes for the first edition of the 24/7 format. On May 18, TV Azteca was still publishing preshow, postshow and live-stream updates tied to the opening days of the season, while voting remained active for the final contestant slot in the 22-person lineup. (tvazteca.com) The next fixed broadcast on Azteca Uno is scheduled for Monday at 8:30 p.m., according to the network’s published timetable. (tvazteca.com 1) (tvazteca.com 2) (tvazteca.com 3)