Major update on investigation into MasterChef star Jock Zonfrillo’s death
Jock Zonfrillo died in April 2023 before the premier of MasterChef's 15th season. Photo: AAP
A coronial investigation into the death of MasterChef host Jock Zonfrillo has been completed, almost two years after he was found dead in a Melbourne hotel room.
However, details on the exact cause of his untimely passing at age 46 will not be publicly released.
The Victorian Coroners Court has confirmed that a decision had been made not to release the findings of the 16-month probe.
“The investigation into the death of Jock Zonfrillo was completed on 27 August 2024,” said a spokesperson.
“At the close of the investigation, the coroner determined that the finding would not be published.”
Not all coronial findings are required to be published.
The Scottish chef’s official cause of death has reportedly been conveyed privately to his wife and parents.
It was the day before the debut of MasterChef Australia‘s 2023 season.
Fried and their two young children were in Italy at the time. Zonfrillo had flown back to Australia for publicity duties and was on his own.
The family of four had quietly moved to Rome in the weeks before Zonfrillo’s untimely death.
His body was discovered just hours before the premiere of MasterChef‘s 15th season.
Jock Zonfrillo and Lauren Fried would have celebrated their eighth wedding anniversary this year. Photo: Instagram
Zonfrillo’s widow Lauren Fried recently announced she had written a book about her experience of grief, which would be released on May 6.
The book shares her experience of traumatic loss.
“I am no psychologist — I am not even a writer. But I have written a book, Till Death Do Us Part,” Fried posted to Instagram seven weeks ago.
“This is a book of my lived experience through traumatic loss, the kind of support that I was reaching out for in the shadows of grief, and being homesick for a life that didn’t exist anymore.
“And for those going through loss, 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.”
Zonfrillo and Fried’s marriage was the third for each of them.
Five weeks ago would have been the couple’s eighth wedding anniversary.
Fried again took to Instagram to mark the day.
“Eight years. Happy anniversary My Love.”
Zonfrillo had two children from a previous relationship, Ava and Sophia, and two children with Fried – Alfie and Isla.
