Overview
- The fifth season premiered Monday, September 28, 2026, with Wanda Nara hosting and the episode broadcast simultaneously on Telefe and HBO Max.
- Maru Botana joins long‑time judges Damián Betular and Germán Martitegui after Donato De Santis chose to step down to live abroad and spend more time with family, a decision he marked with an emotional public message.
- Production moved to daytime recordings at Estudios de Martínez starting mid‑September to accommodate talent needs, and the season begins with a 24‑celebrity cast drawn from music, TV, journalism and sport.
- The debut showed immediate storylines for viewers, including a tense exchange where Martitegui told Elizabeth Vernaci “this is not radio, you can pause” and early reporting that Pachu Peña’s touring plans could shorten his run.
- Telefe is positioning MasterChef as a prime‑time anchor with same‑night streaming previews and repeat windows on MiTelefe, Pluto TV and TNT, a strategy that follows the format’s prior strong ratings and makes jury chemistry and contestant availability key things to watch.